Frost and Fire
by jws381
Summary: Weiss, Royal Princess of Valm and Duchess of Chon'sin, and her loyal retainers are caught in the middle of a war that threatens to engulf the world. They aim to put a stop to the needless killing, even if that means civil war. *RWBY Fire Emblem AU: RWBY characters in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening. Knowledge of FE not necessary. Dedicated to Monty. Cover art by catwithabrush.
1. The Gathering Storm

**Author's Note** **:** Knowledge of Fire Emblem is unnecessary for this story. All will be self-explanatory or otherwise explained.

* * *

Chapter 1

"Who's next?!" Yang challenged. She clashed her metal gauntlets together, generating an ear-splitting metallic crash. A pair of men entered the ring and dragged her previous opponent away. The half-conscious man was bleeding from the nose and groaning. That was the fate of pretty much everyone who stepped into the ring against Yang. She dominated the tournaments sponsored by her liege Princess Weiss, but this was nothing of the sort. Instead of closely officiated fights held in the castle courtyard, Yang was fighting in the basement of a tavern. She was willing to take on all comers, armed and armored as they pleased, just so long as they were willing to risk their hard-earned cash.

As much as the tavern's owner Junior hated to see his patrons beaten to a pulp, he had to admit that Yang's visits were good for business. Men - and even some women - came from all over the city to see her fight. It helped that the only armor she was was her gauntlets, and the only clothing a few thin shreds of strategically placed cloth. On normal nights Junior struggled to turn a profit. When Yang showed up the combination of coin spent on drinks and a cut of the wagers meant he made as much in one night as he would usually expect in a week.

"Is that all?!" Yang shouted one last challenge. It was late. She was perfectly willing to take on another fight, and collect some more gold, but heading back to the castle to rest in luxury was an attractive prospect. "Pathetic. Junior, where's my gold?" Junior produced a hefty sack of coins. He took 50% of whatever Yang earned but that still left what for most people was a small fortune.

"Hold on just a second." A voice called from the crowd. A quartet of heavily armed and armored men pushed their way through the crowd. "We've got a proposition for you."

Yang recognized the man. Cardin Winchester. He was a small-time mercenary who led a tiny band of miscreants. He was arrogant. Yang had long wanted to punch the smug smile off his face. "Let's hear it." Yang said.

"I bet you can't beat the four of us at once." Cardin said.

"Why should I agree to fight you four?" Yang asked. "That hardly sounds fair."

"If you can beat us, I'll double your take." Cardin said. "If we win, you go home empty handed."

Yang sized up the challengers. Cardin, no problem. She was less familiar with his hangers-on, Russel, Dove and Sky. They had a reputation as brawlers, but they usually fought people much weaker than them. They were scum. Heavily armored scum, but scum nonetheless. She could take them. "Deal." Yang said. "I expect to be paid when I wipe the floor with you." She made her way back into the ring and awaited her challengers.

"You know I'm good for the money." Cardin said. Yang was not so sure, but hey, if that was what it took to kick Cardin's ass, fine. He and his pals entered the ring, immediately spreading out to surround Yang.

Yang was beginning to have second thoughts. Cardin and his pals had played her. They were trained warriors - even if their training was not nearly on the level of hers - not drunken morons. And their weapons were sharp. Yang was wearing pretty much nothing. One good hit and she would have to concede, lest she risk death. To win she was going to have to take out all four without even being touched. At the end of the night, she was fatigued too. A few hours of fighting had surely dulled her a bit.

What was Yang thinking? She was going to kick their asses, no problem. "Give the word Junior." She commanded.

"You sure about this blondie?" Junior asked. He was worried about his prize attraction.

"Just do it." Yang said.

"Okay." Junior sighed. "Ready...set...fight!"

All four opponents immediately lunged forward. Yang was expecting it and dropped to the ground. Cardin and his group ran into each other as Yang ducked out of the way. To avoid injuring one another they threw themselves off balance. Yang spun around on the ground and swept Sky's legs. He slammed down on his back. Yang leapt past him, punching him in the chin on her way. He was done, his jaw broken. Yang now had the three remaining fighters in front of her. Russel threw his daggers. Yang punched one out of the air and side-stepped the other. That put her right in Cardin's path. He brought his mace crashing down but Yang caught it. With a twist he was completely off balance. She lifted him up, spun around and tossed him into Russel. Both crashed to the ground, sliding out of the ring and out of the fight.

But Yang had lost track of Dove. She heard him grunt from behind her and she dive-rolled forward, spinning around to face him. Dove stood there with his sword at the ready, but a flash of yellow caught Yang's attention. It was some of her hair, a bit stuck on the edge of Dove's blade and more settling to the ground between them. "You monster!" Yang screamed. Her gauntlets, legendary weapons - collectively named Ember Celica - infused with magical material, burst into flames in response to the wielder's rage. She charged at Dove, flaming gauntlets at the ready.

"Oh gods I yield!" Dove screamed. He dropped his sword and shielded his face with his arms. Yang pulled up just short of the cowering man. Her anger faded and along with it the flames. Dove was simply too pathetic to be angry at.

"And our winner, Yang Xiao-Long." Junior said with a sigh of relief.

Yang raised her hands in triumph, running around the ring and playing to the cheering crowd. "I'm not done!" Cardin shouted from behind her. He lunged toward her with his mace. Yang was caught off guard and had no chance of blocking the heinous assault.

A chill filled the air and Cardin stopped dead, frozen in place. "You must be more careful." Weiss admonished, pointing her sword - Myrtenaster, a divine weapon that allowed the wielder to use magic without tomes - toward the now frozen Cardin. "What have I told you about letting your emotions get the better of you?"

"P-princess!" Yang exclaimed. She prostrated herself before the royal as did the rest of the crowd.

"You may rise." Weiss said. "And I suggest the rest of you leave. The show's over." The gathered crowd made for the exits. Weiss walked over to Cardin. "As for you…" She tapped her sword against him. He unfroze and dropped to the ground in a heap. "...I have decided to overlook this transgression against my retainer. Do not make me regret my decision."

Cardin groaned and stumbled to his feet. Russel helped him away while Dove dragged Sky out. "What about my gold?" Yang called after them. "Or do you need to be taught another lesson?"

Russel grabbed a pouch off of Cardin's belt. "I swear, it's all we have." He said, terror in his voice.

"Just give me the damn coins." Yang demanded.

Russel tossed the pouch. Weiss intercepted it just before it reached Yang's hands. It was clearly far less than promised. "Leave, now." Weiss commanded. Cardin and his group hurried out as best they could.

"Thanks for the save princess." Yang said. "Last time I turn my back on that asshole."

The expression on Weiss' face showed she was not amused. "What is my retainer doing fighting in this dive?" Weiss asked. "This is far beneath your station. And your state of dress! You look like a cheap whore!"

"I was just trying to make some money..." Yang replied.

"Do I not pay you enough?" Weiss demanded. "Is that it?"

"No, you pay me plenty." Yang said. "It's just a little boring sitting around the castle all day. I mean, it's nice and all, but exciting is not a word I would use to describe it."

"What would your father say if he saw you now?" Weiss pressed.

"Knowing him he'd probably be impressed." Yang laughed.

"Silence!" Weiss shouted. "This is no laughing matter. Is this the kind of example you wish to set for your sister? Brawling with drunks while half-naked? You should be ashamed."

"I'm sorry." Yang said, hanging her head. "You're right. This is unbecoming of a knight."

"You are forgiven." Weiss said. "But do not involve yourself in anything like this ever again, or I will be forced to find a new retainer."

"I'm very sorry Your Majesty, I hate to interrupt, but…" Junior cut in. He was holding the bag of coins Yang had earned.

"Keep it." Weiss said.

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty." Junior said, bowing his head.

"You did not let me finish." Weiss said. "No more fights. Only officially sanctioned tournaments are allowed in my realm. I will not turn a blind eye while you support hooliganism."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Junior sighed. His haul from the night was sizable but he would have to go back to just scraping by soon enough. Still, as a royal princess and the Duchess of Chon'sin, Weiss' word was law.

"Now Yang, let us return to the castle." Weiss said. "I grow weary of these...surroundings."

* * *

As it turned out, Weiss had not entirely forgiven Yang. There was punishment in store the following day. Normally Yang would spend the day training with her sister and some of the other knights. She was the best unarmed combatant in Chon'sin and passed on those skills to the younger soldiers. Today she would be forced to accompany Weiss as she went about the business of ruling the Duchy. Weiss heard petitioner after petitioner, making decisions and dispensing justice. It was terribly boring. Weiss knew it was driving Yang crazy and that was the point. If Yang transgressed because she was bored, Weiss was going to show her just how boring things could be. Worse still, Yang was forced to wear her full set of plate armor, something she rarely did. It was hot and unpleasant to be in after any stretch of time. Yang normally wore more than she had at the tavern, but not nearly so much. Weiss was very, very good at making a point.

Weiss was also very good at ruling her Duchy. It was all the more remarkable because of her youth and inexperience. The same age as Yang, she had been granted the Duchy by her father, the emperor, only a little over a year before. Legally she was an adult, and as a member of the royal family she was expected to take part in the governance of the empire. Chon'sin had once been an independent kingdom, but war with the empire had seen its absorption and demotion. Weiss' father had prosecuted the war, and the late stages had been rather brutal. Now the original royal family of Chon'sin were all dead. But that was long ago. The emperor had been a young man then. Memories could be surprisingly short.

The people of Chon'sin still held a degree of resentment toward Weiss and her family. Being ruled by a foreign power was humiliating. But Weiss' fair and attentive rule made her popular. There had not been the slightest hint of unrest since she had taken her place as Duchess. It helped that she had been raised there in preparation for one day taking the position, and her government still included a large number of local aristocrats.

Yang was one. Her youth did not stand in the way of her being Weiss' Master of Soldiers, the Duchy's top military advisor and Weiss' effective second-in-command. She was a knight like her father - Taiyang - before her. He was a little too young to have taken part in the war, but his father had backed the empire. When he too threw his support behind the empire his wife - Yang's mother Raven Branwen - left him to join what little resistance to imperial rule remained. Not all memories were short. Then had come a marriage to a knight - Summer Rose - from Rosanne. The union produced Yang's half-sister Ruby but was sadly short lived. Summer died in battle against rebels. It was rumored that she had been sought out and killed by Raven herself. For his part Taiyang did not believe it. Yang and Ruby did not believe it either.

Ruby was a newly minted knight in her own rite. She was still in training but soon she would take her place alongside her sister as one of Weiss' top retainers. Her martial skill made that a given. Having always wanted to follow in her parents' footsteps, it was something she looked forward to. Just being knighted had been a dream come true. She was unconventional - wielding a scythe rather than the traditional sword, axe or lance - but that only made her a more dangerous fighter. Like Yang's, her weapon - Crescent Rose - was imbued with legendary properties, the blade forged from steel said to have been blessed by Naga. It gave its wielder super-human speed the way Yang's gauntlets lent her super-human strength.

The monotony of the day was broken by an unexpected arrival. "Ambassadors from Regna Ferox." Yang announced. A pair entered, a man and a woman. They did not look much like ambassadors, cloaked in rather simple black and white clothing rather than the ornate attire that would be expected. But with Ferox that was not surprising. Diplomacy was not their strong suit, and they often employed soldiers as their ambassadors. The pair did not look like they were Feroxi either, but that too was not a surprise. Ferox had long employed foreigners with exceptional martial skill. The pair approached, bowing before Weiss' throne.

"Welcome to Chon'sin." Weiss said with a bow. "What business do you have with my duchy?" The ambassadors did not respond. "Perhaps you require a translator." Weiss mused.

The ambassadors leapt up and the charade was broken. Both drew swords and lunged at Weiss. Yang was too far away to help, positioned as she was by the door, and Weiss was unarmed. The man swung his sword at Weiss. It was a katana, the traditional sword of Chon'sin. He must have been involved with the resistance. Weiss ducked and the blade struck her throne, cutting through the gilded wood chair. Weiss was off balance and the man was ready to strike again. To her shock the woman stepped between her and the would-be assassin and caught his blade on her own, a wakizashi. "What are you doing?!" The man demanded.

"The right thing." The woman declared. The pair strained against one another.

By now Yang was upon them. She leapt into a punch at the man but he spun around and blocked the strike before ducking out of the way to let the woman's blade slip toward Yang. The woman held up just before contact. The man got behind Yang and kicked her, sending her tumbling into the woman and Weiss. The assassin then turned and ran, bisecting a guard foolish enough to try to stop him. The rest of the soldiers present rushed to Weiss' side. They were unarmed in accordance with court procedure, but they would defend her with their lives.

Yang pinned the woman to the ground. "Who sent you?" She demanded. "Are you with the anti-Schnee resistance?"

"No, I'm an exile." The woman said. "That man, on the other hand, is. But the resistance is not responsible, nor is Regna Ferox. I'll tell you everything if you just release me."

"Yeah right." Yang said. "I'm not falling for that."

"Yang, confiscate her weapon and allow her to speak." Weiss commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yang sighed. The woman willingly handed over her blade and Yang allowed her to stand.

"Who are you?" Weiss asked.

"Blake Belladonna." The woman replied. "My family fled Chon'sin for Ferox when your father invaded. I am a soldier in the employ of the government-in-exile."

"That makes you my enemy." Weiss warned. "Why would you save me?"

"As much as I would like to see the monarchy restored, I will not support tactics as deplorable as assassination." Blake answered. "And from what I understand you are a just leader."

"You said the resistance did not send you." Weiss said. "Who did?"

"You will not believe me." Blake warned.

"Just tell me." Weiss demanded.

"The emperor." Blake replied. Weiss and the assembled crowd shared an audible gasp.

"That's preposterous." Weiss said. "Why would my father send assassins to kill me?"

"He wishes to start a war with Regna Ferox." Blake explained. "By posing as ambassadors of Ferox and killing his daughter, we were to provide him the justification he needs."

"I refuse to believe you." Weiss said. "You are a liar and an enemy. Take her away."

"I have proof, though I doubt it will sway you." Blake said as a pair of soldiers took hold of her. "In my pocket. I have the orders sent by the emperor." Yang reached into Blake's pocket and pulled out a letter. She handed it to Weiss.

Weiss read it over, becoming visibly distressed as she did so. "No, this is impossible." Weiss said, shaking her head. "There's no way."

"Is that not his handwriting?" Blake asked. "Is that not his seal?"

"It...it is." Weiss admitted. "How can this be?"

"He is an evil man." Blake said. "He values power and control more than his own daughter. Or his wife."

"What do you mean his wife?" Weiss asked.

"Another team of assassins has been sent to kill your mother." Blake replied. "It is his insurance against a failure to kill you."

"Yang!" Weiss shouted. "Have a warning sent to the capital. They must…"

"It's already too late." Blake said. "The attacks were to happen simultaneously. If the plan was successful, your mother is already dead."

"But...I...no...there has to be…" Weiss stammered.

"And now you know too much." Blake said. "Adam, your would-be assassin, will report to the emperor that not only did we fail, that the orders fell into your hands. The emperor will silence you. He cannot risk the truth coming to light." Weiss stared in silence. In an instant her world had been shattered. "You have three choices. You may accept your fate and die. You may go into exile. Or you may fight. Your father must be stopped. The world must not fall under his iron fist."

"I...I refuse to believe this." Weiss said. "Yang, send a Pegasus rider to the capital. Notify them of the assassination attempt and warn them of a possible attempt on the empress' life."

"This course leads to your death." Blake warned. "You must prepare yourself."

"And double my bodyguard." Weiss added. "Put the militia on alert as well."

"If you will have me, I will fight for you." Blake offered. "I know you cannot possibly trust me, but you will need all the help you can get."

"Put her in prison...for now." Weiss ordered. She was beginning to regain her composure. "Let us see how the situation develops."


	2. Flight

Chapter 2

"Ruby Rose, I name you Master of Horse." Weiss said. She did not want to believe what Blake had told her, but she was going to be ready for war, just in case.

"But...I don't ride, Your Majesty." Ruby said. "I fight dismounted."

"It's just a title." Weiss assured her. "You will be second in command to your sister in overseeing our troops."

"Isn't there a more experienced knight?" Ruby asked. "I'm not even technically old enough to serve in the army."

"You're all I have." Weiss sighed. "Every other knight in the duchy is either beholden to my father, or has just been in a brawl with my retainer."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Yang said with an uneasy laugh.

"I never noticed how little personal power I have." Weiss said. "I rule at my father's pleasure."

"Doesn't that add credence to that exile's story?" Yang suggested. "If your father felt the need to do away with you, it would make sense to surround you with knights loyal to him. You only have us because we entered service during your reign."

"That's enough." Weiss said. "The last thing we need is to start a rebellion for no reason. We will see how the situation develops, and keep our options open."

"Alright, well I'm going to check on some things." Yang said. "Ruby can act as your bodyguard until I get back. You can defend yourself anyway." She headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going at this hour?" Weiss demanded. It was well past dark already. "Given the current situation I need you here, on guard, not our carousing."

"I won't be carousing." Yang said. "You said we should keep our options open. I'm expanding our options." Yang left before Weiss could say another word.

Weiss and Ruby stood there in silence for a few moments. "I've never been in your room before princess." Ruby eventually said with a hint of wonderment. "Everything's so colorful and pretty. And your bed is so fancy."

Weiss sighed heavily. "Yes, it's all very nice." She said.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"I have a feeling this will be the last night I spend here for a long time." Weiss admitted. "I pray to Naga I'm wrong."

* * *

As it was there were no new developments overnight. Yang returned in the morning but refused to talk about where she had gone or for what reason. She just kept repeating the line about keeping their options open. With mounting unease Weiss took her place on her badly damaged throne at the head of the great hall of her castle. Today there would be none of the usual business. Only official representatives of her government or sent by the emperor would be admitted, and only once they had disarmed. Yang - in her full suit of plate armor - and Ruby - clad in full body leather armor - stood on either side of Weiss in case of a sudden attack. Outside the militia was on guard, manning the city walls and patrolling the streets looking for anything suspicious.

The first shock came just after sunrise. The messenger Weiss had instructed Yang to send to the capital returned. She was in sad shape, weary from riding her pegasus to and from the capital in just one night. The non-stop flights must have taken just as heavy a toll on the animal. "Your Majesty." The messenger said breathlessly. She bowed before the princess and looked about to collapse from exhaustion.

"Rise and report." Weiss commanded.

"I bring terrible news." The messenger said. Weiss' heart sank. "The empress has been murdered by assassins from the Chon'sin government-in-exile." Weiss wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. But she could not. Such displays of emotion were beneath someone of her station. "The emperor has declared war on Regna Ferox."

"What reason has the emperor for that declaration?" Weiss asked, her voice cracking slightly. All that Blake had warned was coming to pass. It was like a nightmare but Weiss was sure she was not dreaming.

"Regna Ferox harbors the villains." The messenger replied. "The assassin was captured alive. He confessed that the khans assisted in the assassination."

"That's preposterous." Weiss said. "Valm and Ferox have long had a cordial relationship. They have no reason to do such a thing."

"I cannot speak to the validity of the assassin's confession." The messenger said. "I can only report what I have been told."

"Is there anything else?" Weiss asked. She feared an answer.

"Yes." The messenger replied. "Official messengers from the emperor are en route. They will give you further orders. The emperor has instructed that you do as they say, unquestioningly. That is all, Your Majesty."

"You are dismissed." Weiss said. She immediately turned to Yang. "Free the exile and bring her here. And return her weapon."

"But princess, I don't think that would…" Yang started.

"Your job is not to think." Weiss snapped. "Do as I say." When angered Weiss could be fearsome and blunt. Yang had seen that side of her in dealing with official business, but never been on the receiving end, even for her repeated misbehavior. Weiss had always taken Yang's council, even when her course of action was already decided. That this was no longer the case worried Yang more than any of the other developments. She was not well versed in court politics but if Weiss was afraid, and Yang could tell she was, the danger was real and serious.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yang said. She hurried off the the prison, returning minutes later with a rearmed Blake in tow.

"It seems you were not lying after all." Weiss said, glaring at Blake. "You offered to fight at my side. Does that offer still stand?"

"So long as it is in support of what is just, my offer will always stand." Blake replied. "If you should turn your back on justice, I will not hesitate to strike you down."

"Well then, Blake, kneel." Weiss ordered. Blake did not, remaining as she was, stood at the base of the steps that led to the throne. Weiss stood and drew her sword. "Yang, make her kneel." Yang had kept a gauntleted hand on Blake's shoulder the entire time. She now kicked Blake in the back of the legs and forced her down.

"Am I to be executed?" Blake asked.

"No, but your old life has ended." Weiss said. She looked at her blade for a moment before holding it out over Blake. "Yang, back away." Yang did as commanded. Weiss tapped the sword on Blake's right shoulder. She lifted the sword and did the same to her left. "You are now a knight in my service. Congratulations."

"Do I have a say in this?" Blake asked.

"Would you prefer execution?" Weiss countered.

"Point taken." Blake grumbled. She stood and faced her new liege. It felt like a betrayal of everything she had ever stood for. If she were not such a coward, she would have chosen death. At least that was how she saw it.

"So, Blake, you seem to know more about the current situation than I." Weiss said. "What course of action would you suggest."

"Run." Blake replied. "Run as far and as fast as you can. You must leave the empire if you are to survive. Right now the emperor has overwhelming power. If you try to fight you will be defeated. Gather allies and return when your power is in the ascendancy."

"What will become of my subjects should I flee?" Weiss asked. "They would be defenseless. I cannot throw them to the wolves to save my skin."

"With you gone the emperor will have no reason to harm them." Blake said. "He is an evil man, but he craves power. And what is power without persons to exercise that power over?"

"Yang, Ruby, thoughts?" Weiss asked.

"She makes a good point." Yang said. "But maybe we shouldn't rush it. There may be a way to negotiate ourselves out of this."

"Whatever happens we shouldn't fight." Ruby said. "You can only trust the loyalty of us, right? We can only do so much."

"Thanks for the votes of confidence." Weiss groaned. "Let us wait and see what the emperor's ambassadors have to say."

"You're a fool." Blake warned. "Remaining here will mean your death."

"I would rather die a fool than live a coward." Weiss said. It was an offhand comment not directed at anyone in particular, but to Blake it was like a stab in the heart. She was immediately silenced. She hated the Schnees, all of them. Even Weiss, though that hatred was not nearly so virulent as that for her father. Here was a Schnee taking a brave stand, choosing death over flight. If only Blake had had the courage to do the same.

* * *

So they waited. Weiss sat on her mangled throne, increasingly restless, shifting around but never getting comfortable. Yang and Ruby remained at her side while Blake sat on the steps. The wait was to be a rather short one. A messenger burst in unannounced. "An army approaches!" He warned. "It appears to be the imperial army but they are deploying into battle order!"

"And there it is." Weiss sighed. "Well, I guess now would be the time to run."

"The enemy is at the gates." Blake said. "It's a little late."

"I'd rather die trying than just sit here and accept my fate." Weiss said.

"I have a better idea." Yang said. "Remember when I said I was expanding our options? I happen to know a secret way out of the city."

"How do you...I don't even…" Weiss stammered.

"The basement of Junior's tavern connects to a sewer that runs beyond the walls." Yang explained. "It lets out in a hidden defile. A horse should be waiting there for each of us."

"How do you and Junior know about this but I don't?!" Weiss shouted.

"He uses it to smuggle in alcohol." Yang replied. "That way he doesn't have to pay tax on it. I've spent enough time there to know the ins and outs of his operation."

"One day we are going to have a long talk about this." Weiss grumbled. "Now, let us make haste. Gather supplies…"

"There's no time for that." Blake warned. "Grab what coin is immediately available. We can buy what we need on the road. Any further delay will be fatal."

"Better safe than sorry." Yang said. "I'll grab my stash and we'll hit the road."

"Your stash?" Weiss asked.

"What?" Yang laughed. "You don't think that was my first time fighting at Junior's bar. I probably have more coin handy than you princess."

Weiss shot Yang an angry look. "You're probably right." Weiss admitted. "All I have is the pouch those miscreants tossed for you."

"Well, get it and let's get going." Blake said with growing impatience. "Every second we waste talking brings us closer to a violent death."

* * *

Junior stepped up to a shelf stacked with wine bottles. "Good luck kids." He said. He shifted a piece of wood and the shelf swung forward to reveal an archway. "This town just won't be the same without you."

"I fully intend to return." Weiss declared. "And if I found out you were holding fights while I was gone…"

"I get it, I get it." Junior cut her off. "Cut me some slack, I'm saving your skin here."

"It's only illegal if you get caught." Yang said with a wink. Weiss swore under her breath and followed Yang through the arch. Once Ruby and Blake were though Junior closed the shelf behind them. They were enveloped by darkness. "Light me." Yang said.

"Those rags you wore when you were fighting made you look kind of fat." Weiss sneered.

"You bit…" Yang started to shout before stopping herself. Her gauntlets burst into flames, lighting the narrow passage. "That was very cruel, Your Majesty." Yang seethed.

"It worked didn't it." Weiss said, ignoring Yang's anger. "Gods it smells in here."

"It's a sewer, so yeah, it smells." Blake said, rolling her eyes. "What do you think that sludge running down the center is. I'll give you a hint. It isn't honey."

"I was just making an observation." Weiss said. "And you should be careful how you speak to a duchess and royal princess."

"You're not a duchess or princess of anything anymore." Blake said. "You're an exile, just like me. You'll be lucky if you still are at the end of the day. Exile beats corpse."

"If you two don't keep it down we're going to be found out." Yang admonished. "We're almost at the exit."

"Already?" Ruby asked. "That was fast."

"Yes, just shut up." Yang said. A door with an opening to let the sewage seep through stood at the end of the passage. "Dammit, I forgot to ask Junior for the key." She tried to open it but it was locked. "Breaking this open is going to be loud but I guess I don't have a choice."

"Stand back." Blake said as she pushed past Yang. She pulled a pair of thin slivers of metal from her pocket and jammed them into the lock. After moving them around a bit there was a click, the door swung open and sunlight flooded the passage. "There's always a choice." Just beyond the door was a metal grate. "You weren't going to punch your way through this one anyway." Blake went to work picking that lock as well.

"You'd be surprised." Yang growled. She had half a mind to show Blake just how hard she could punch, but now was not the time.

"Ta-da." Blake said flatly. "And no ruckus."

"Great, let's get going." Weiss said. "Where are the horses?"

"They should be just down this way." Yang said. She dropped out of the tube, landing on her feet in the sludge below the outlet. She sunk up to her ankles. "Come on princess." Yang said, holding out her hands to catch Weiss. Weiss looked at the quagmire and shuddered. Then she jumped and Yang caught her.

"Don't you dare put me down in this gunk." Weiss threatened.

"Yes princess." Yang sighed. She stomped through the 'mud' until they reached firm ground.

Ruby dropped down behind her. "Ew, gross." She complained. Blake followed without complaint.

"And here we are." Yang said as she pushed through some bushes. A quartet of horses was tied to a tree at the edge of a small clearing.

"Why four?" Weiss asked. "When you left last night our group was just you, Ruby and I."

"I figured you'd be letting Blake out." Yang shrugged. "Always the benevolent ruler."

"Thank you...I think." Weiss said. She untied a horse and leapt into the saddle. All the horses were muscular and squat, not suited for speed or combat but perfect for long-distance travel. The others followed. "I hope you've all been practicing." With a crack of the reins her horse took off. Yang and Blake followed closely. Ruby had some trouble. Her horse spun in a circle before starting in the wrong direction. Ruby was eventually able to get her mount to cooperate and she caught up to the others.

"Where are we going?" Blake asked.

"Port Valm." Weiss replied. "We need to board a ship out of the empire."

"And then what?" Blake asked.

"We go to Ferox." Weiss answered. "We must begin rallying forces to our banner."

"What makes you think they'll join you?" Blake pressed.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Weiss said. "They will require assistance as much as we will. I'm sure they'll see reason and commit to our common purpose."

"You haven't dealt much with Ferox, have you?" Blake sighed.

"If we have to knock a few skulls together to make them see reason, I'm prepared to do so." Yang assured her. "If strength is what they respect they'll revere me."

* * *

The four arrived outside Port Valm two days after leaving Chon'sin. Even hiding during the day and riding at night, they had made fantastic time. Port Valm was a small city built along a natural harbor on the coast facing Ferox and Plegia. It was easily the busiest port in the empire, seeing passenger and cargo traffic to and from around the world. There was surely a boat heading to Ferox, or at least Plegia which was close enough. The trouble would be getting aboard alive. The group had purchased clothing to disguise themselves but Weiss would be recognizable nonetheless. Her image was all over the empire in official portraits of the royal family. She was even on some coins. Worse, a very visible scar over her eye, received in a training accident, made her instantly identifiable.

"This place is crawling with soldiers." Weiss sighed.

"Well obviously." Blake said. "You father's evil, not an idiot. He knew if you ran you'd end up here."

"There's no way we get Weiss through without being noticed." Ruby groaned. "We're doomed."

"I have a plan, but princess, you're not going to like it." Yang said with a sly smile.

"Oh gods, what do you have in mind?" Weiss asked, resting her forehead in her hand.

* * *

Yang and Blake pushed the cart toward the docks as Ruby walked alongside. In the cart was a large crate. A guard stopped them. "What's in the box?" The guard asked.

"Antique armor." Ruby said.

"For a collector in Plegia." Blake added.

"Plegia huh?" The guard said. He was clearly suspicious. The trio were dressed like normal travelers but something about them felt off. They were too...intimidating, more like soldiers than merchants. "I'll need to check."

"Go nuts." Yang said.

Ruby started for the crate but the guard eased her away. He lifted the lid with his own hand and peered inside. Assorted pieces of metal and leather armor filled the crate, nearly to the top. He shifted a few pieces but there was just more underneath. He eyed the trio again. "Everything seems to be in order." He said.

"Thank you." Ruby said. "Could you point us to dock 4?"

"Right there." The guard pointed. "The one with the big 4 on it."

"Oh, right, of course." Ruby said. "Thanks again." Blake and Yang pushed the crate out onto the dock, then up the plank and onto a ship bound for northern Plegia.

* * *

The ship sailed a few hours later. Once they were a safe distance from the coast, Yang and Blake tipped the cart on its side. The crate toppled and the lid popped off. Armor and weapons rolled onto the ship's deck, followed by Weiss as she made an undignified exit from her hiding spot. "That armor is heavy!" Weiss complained. "How do you fight in it?"

Yang flexed her bicep. "That's what these muscles are for." She laughed.

"And I drink milk!" Ruby announced proudly.

"Next time you hide me in a crate, at least put me in with something soft." Weiss groaned.

"The next time you're in a box you probably won't be alive to care." Blake said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss demanded. Blake just laughed and walked away. Yang and Ruby struggled to suppress their own laughter. Seeing the princess so out-of-sorts was rare and quite funny. "Shut up, both of you. You have some nerve. I make you both knights, my personal retainers, and you have the gall to laugh at me."

"Lighten up princess." Yang said. "You don't have to be perfect and serious all the time. No one out here is going to judge you."


	3. The Wall

Chapter 3

The voyage to Plegia was quite calm. As bad as the preceding days had been, Weiss would have expected the trip to be stormy, but the weather had been ideal. Favorable winds even accelerated the trip and they arrived a day early. In Plegia there was no need to hide who they were. Plegia and Valm were not at war, at least not at the moment, but they were not on friendly terms either. That meant Weiss would have little to fear from her father. Being his enemy might even help. Valm and Plegia had gone to war a few times during the reign of Weiss' father and Valm had won every time. Plegia was always on the lookout for ways to strike back, to get some level of revenge for the repeated and humiliating defeats.

That was not to say Weiss wanted Plegian help. Plegia was a strange country. Most of the world worshiped Naga, a benevolent dragon that protected humanity from its malevolent fellows. Plegians worshiped Grima, an evil dragon that had attempted to destroy the world on more than one occasion. Grima had initially been sealed away by Naga, but it was briefly revived and then finally killed some time ago. Still the Plegians held onto their religion. They hated the worshipers of Naga, basically the entire rest of the world, and the rest of the world treated them with disgust. While some Plegians might be willing to support Weiss in her bid to defeat her father, she knew well the price of their help would be too high to countenance.

Regna Ferox was only a short journey from their port of arrival, so the group immediately set off, hoping to get out of Plegia as quickly as possible. Even were they able to do that without confrontation, getting into Ferox would not be easy. A wall lined the border between the nations and was closely guarded by forces from Ferox. Anyone attempting to enter the country was treated with extreme suspicion and Weiss was the daughter of the man who had just declared war on them. She would either need to be one heck of a smooth talker or there was going to be quite a battle. Unlike most other nations, Regna Ferox's conflict with Plegia was not religious. Ferox was mostly irreligious. The problem was Plegia frequently started border skirmishes and attempted to intrigue in Feroxi politics.

* * *

"Gods this country is unpleasant." Weiss complained as the group trudged through the Plegian desert. "Why anyone would want to live here is beyond me."

"Maybe that's why they're always trying to invade their neighbors." Blake suggested. "They probably don't want to live here."

"Experiencing these conditions does certainly inspire some sympathy for the poor souls forced to endure it." Weiss admitted. "I just hope Ferox is more...temperate."

"It's better, but much colder." Blake said. She had lived there for most of her life as many exiles from Chon'sin had.

"I'll take cold right now." Yang groaned. She was basically being cooked in her plate armor but it was too dangerous to take it off. In Plegia, as in most of the world, the roads were not safe. Highwaymen and other heavily armed criminals were always on the lookout for targets.

"We should have brought more water." Ruby said. Even in her lighter leather armor she was still sweltering.

"A little suffering is good for you." Blake said. She wore no armor, as was custom in Chon'sin. Their warriors valued mobility over protection. "Especially you princess."

"Yeah, I get it." Weiss said. She wore little armor, just some plate on her left arm and leg. "You think I'm soft just because I was born into royalty. Well, my life hasn't been as easy as you think."

"I'm sure it beat growing up an orphan." Blake countered.

"Settle down guys, this isn't a contest." Yang said. "I'm sure we've all had our rough patches. Arguing about it isn't going to help anyone."

"Yeah!" Ruby said. "We're all on the same side. We should be friends!"

"Me, friends with a Schnee?" Blake laughed. "That'll be the day."

"Right back at you." Weiss snapped.

Yang spotted something ahead near a rock outcrop. "Down!" She shouted, simultaneously leaping in front of Weiss. An arrow glanced off her chest plate and deflected away. Ahead two more armed men stepped out from behind the rocks to join the archer that had fired on them. Behind them four more came out from their hiding spots in dead ground on either side of the road. It was an ambush.

"What do we have here?" One of the attackers stepped forward carrying a cudgel. He had bright red hair tucked beneath a hat and wore make-up around his eye. "It seems some travelers have wandered into the wrong part of Plegia."

"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" Weiss challenged.

The man squinted and took a few more steps forward. "Now that you mention it, you look a lot like Princess Weiss of Valm." He said. "Could it really be?"

"It is." Weiss replied.

"Well then, that changes everything." The man said. "You'll bring in quite the ransom. That's money to retire on. Alright boys, keep the princess alive, kill the rest."

The attackers had the group surrounded and closed in with weapons drawn. The group readied their own weapons, forming a circle facing out at the closing ring of enemies. "Well this took a turn." Yang sighed. "Let's teach these idiots a lesson."

Weiss stabbed Myrtenaster into the sand and a wall of ice erupted from the ground to surround the quartet. At a loss, one of the attackers approached and tried hitting the wall with his sword. His strikes began making progress when, gauntlets flaming, Yang burst through the ice and punched him straight in the face. He tumbled back unconscious as Yang turned on the man beside him. Yang punched a sword strike away then uppercutted the man in the jaw hard enough to lift him off the ground.

On the opposite side Ruby came leaping over the top of the ice wall. Spinning in the air she brought the blunt side of her scythe slamming down on an attacker's head before he could react. She turned as another attacked, ducked beneath his slash, then hooked her blade on the back of his greaves. With a tug she pulled his legs out from under him and he slammed down on his back. Ruby swung her weapon around and bashed him in the face with the blunt edge to knock him out.

Blake suddenly appeared behind the archer. Unbeknownst to her enemies, or even her allies for that matter, her legendary weapon Gambol Shroud allowed her to move unseen while leaving an illusion of her behind. A quick punch to the back of the head knocked out the archer. The swordsman guarding him lunged at Blake but she sidestepped the attack and got inside his range. She grabbed his arm, lifting and twisting until it dislocated. She then grabbed him behind the head and flipped him to the ground. A kick to the side of the head left him unconscious.

The leader of the attackers was now the only one left standing. He backed away as the four closed in on him. "Neo, now would be a good time." He said. A diminutive woman leapt out from behind a rock, landing between the leader and the group. She crossed her rapier over her chest and bowed, holding the position. Yang charged forward and punched her in the head with all her might. Neo, and the bandit leader besides, shattered like glass, just an illusion. They were gone.

"Damnit!" Yang shouted. "I wanted to finish them off."

"It's just as well." Weiss said. "I think we got our point across."

"What should we do about them?" Ruby asked.

"Just leave them." Weiss said. "Hopefully they've learned their lesson."

As the group began to depart, one of the bandits, feigning unconsciousness, jumped up and leapt at Ruby. Blake slid in the way and plunged her blade through the man's chest. "I guess not." She said. With a push the man slid off the blade and fell dead in the sand.

"Gods, you killed him!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I sure did." Blake said. "And he would have killed you if I hadn't."

"But...did you really have to?" Ruby pressed.

"Is it that big a deal?" Blake asked. "The man was filth, preying on the weak. His death no doubt makes the world a better place."

"You're a soldier." Weiss said. "Killing people is something you do."

"I get it...it's just that...I've never killed anyone." Ruby said.

"It's hard but, it's something you have to come to terms with." Yang said. "It's kill or be killed in this world."

"But you've never killed anyone." Ruby said.

"Well...about that." Yang said. "Remember the semifinals of the last tournament? They dragged my opponent out of the ring. He wasn't just unconscious. It wasn't intentional, but it's just something that happens."

"That was a rather unfortunate incident." Weiss said. "But he was not the first to fall in a tournament and he will surely not be the last."

"I don't know if I can do this." Ruby sighed.

"Ruby, whether we like it or not, we're at war." Weiss said. "Many more will die before this is over. It is our duty to save those we can. Beyond that we must do what is necessary to keep ourselves alive, so we can do what is right for the peace of this world."

"Yes, many people will die in this war." Blake said. "But many more would suffer should the emperor complete his conquest. We'll avoid bloodshed when possible, but there will be times when there are no other options."

"I guess...I guess I'll just have to live with it." Ruby said.

* * *

It only took a few days for the group to reach the border with Ferox and the giant wall that separated it from Plegia. The desert had given way to a more temperate forest but the surroundings were no more friendly. The wall was patrolled by Feroxi soldiers and the gate was sealed. Weiss boldly approached at the head of her small group, walking straight up to the gate. "Who dares approach this fortification?" A voice called from atop the rampart.

"Weiss Schnee, princess of Valm, Duchess of Chon'sin." She replied.

"Yeah, sure, and I'm the Khan." The voice called back. A heavily armored man, apparently the commander of the section of wall, looked down at the group.

"I bear my signet." Weiss said. "Take a look if you don't believe me."

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't have my soldiers slaughter your little band." The commander challenged. "If you are who you say you are, and that in itself is a big if, you are an enemy of Ferox."

"No, my father is an enemy of Ferox." Weiss countered. "And I am an enemy of him. I wish to assist Regna Ferox in defeating him."

The commander disappeared behind the wall and no reply came for some time. Several minutes later the gate opened. The commander stood at the head of a phalanx of soldiers. "Let's see this signet." The commander said. He took a few steps away from his soldiers and Weiss took a few steps ahead of her retainers. She showed him her two rings, one for the imperial seal and one for her personal seal. The personal one would have been too obscure for him to recognize, but there was no mistaking the imperial seal. "Well Your Majesty, it seems you are either who you say you are or a master forger."

"Will you allow us entry?" Weiss asked.

"Not just yet." The commander replied. "There is a village near here, renown for producing first-rate warriors. I know of two currently residing there. I will arrange to have them brought here. You will select two champions from your group to represent you and fight against them. Standard tournament rules apply. If you best them, you will have proven your worth and be admitted, then taken under guard to the capital. If you fail, you will not be welcome in Ferox. We do not tolerate weakness."

"You have a deal sir." Weiss said.

"Very good." The commander said. "Until the appointed time you may share our camp."

"Thank you for the hospitality." Weiss said, turning on the charm. "You have my sincere gratitude."

"You might be less thankful when you see who you have to fight." The commander warned.

* * *

The following day it was time to fight. A makeshift ring had been set up near the wall, marked with chalk and cleared of any debris. The commander of the garrison was already waiting there when the group arrived, all armed and ready. "So princess, who are your champions?" The commander asked.

"I will be represented by my retainer Yang...and myself." Weiss replied. She and Yang stepped into the ring. Yang moved toward the center while Weiss remained on the periphery.

"Fighting on your own behalf?" The commander said. "Gutsy. I think I like you."

"Who are we going to beat?" Yang asked.

"Confident, I like you too." The commander laughed. "Two warriors much like yourselves. Foreigners who fight for their right to remain in Ferox." The commander swept his arm toward a group of tightly clustered soldiers. As they parted a man and a woman stepped through and into the ring. The man was unarmored, dressed in a style not very different from that popular in Chon'sin. He carried a tome, and was clearly some sort of mage. He was tall and thin, and had long black hair streaked with pink. The woman was heavily armored like Yang and carried a gigantic hammer. She was short with shockingly red hair. "Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie."

"Hold on a second, what happens to them if they lose?" Ruby asked.

"They will be banished from the realm." The commander replied. "They have yet to prove themselves worthy of a place in Ferox but their training here has been extensive. Now is their chance to show it has been worthwhile."

"That seems unnecessarily cruel." Ruby said.

"It is our way." The commander shrugged. "Now, I trust you all know the rules. I shall act as judge for this combat. Are you ready?"

"Ready." Weiss said calmly.

"Oh yeah." Yang said, punching her gauntlets together as they burst into flames.

"Let's do it!" Nora exclaimed. Ren just nodded.

"Then...begin!" The commander shouted.

For a moment the combatants did not engage. "I'll take the heavy." Yang said. "Just keep the magic boy away from me."

"Of course." Weiss said.

With that Yang charged at Nora. Nora rushed toward Yang. Just before colliding Nora spun around, whipping her hammer horizontally around her body. Yang cocked her right arm and punched, meeting Nora's attack. The thunderous blow pushed both fighters back as a shockwave pulsed from Nora's hammer. It was obviously no ordinary hammer or Yang's punch would have obliterated it. Nora spun with her new momentum, doing a complete turn before coming to a stop. Yang charged back at her, slid under a wild swing, and delivered a punch to Nora's chest plate that sent her tumbling back.

Meanwhile Weiss circled around the edge of the ring, Myrtenaster in her left hand, keeping the blade pointed at Ren. Ren too circled so that the pair moved toward each other, leaving Yang and Nora out of their line of fire. Weiss stopped and with a flick of her wrist blasted a stream of fire toward Ren. Ren calmly opened his tome, raised his hand a spoke a spell. A gust of wind pulsed from his hand, fanning the flames and blowing them back towards Weiss. She was forced to dive away, singed but mostly alright.

Trading magical attacks with Ren was not going to work for Weiss so she charged straight at him. "Nora!" Ren called. Nora disengaged from Yang and rushed into Weiss' path. Weiss could not fight the heavily armored warrior head-on and slid to a stop. Yang came rushing in to continue her fight with Nora but the pursuit was too reckless. Nora wound up and unleashed an underhand swing of her hammer that caught Yang full-force in the torso. Another explosive shockwave sent Yang hurtling skyward. Free to act for the moment, Ren cast another spell and lightning erupted from his fingers, arcing into the airborne Yang.

Nora watched as Yang tumbled through the air, on the receiving end of Ren's shocking attack. Weiss saw her opening. She jabbed Myrtenaster into the ground at Nora's feet and a column of ice shot up to engulf Nora, leaving her frozen in place. Ren kept hitting Yang with electricity until she slammed to the ground. She lay there motionless. "Out!" The commander called. "Out!" By his judgement, both Yang and Nora were eliminated from the fight to prevent their further injury.

Ren turned his electric attack on Weiss but she countered with one of her own. Current from the tip of Myrtenaster and Ren's fingers arced through the air, meeting in a ball of ever-growing energy. It was finally too much and the ball exploded in a blinding flash. Using it as a distraction Weiss rushed forward, lowered her armored shoulder and slammed into Ren. The mage tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop on his back. Weiss rushed toward him and put her blade to his throat. She waited for a decision. "I yield." Ren said.

"Stop!" The commander shouted. "Yang and Princess Weiss of Valm are the victors."

Weiss headed to check on the still prone Yang. As she passed Nora she tapped the frozen warrior with her blade, freeing her from the icy snare. Nora dropped to the ground in a daze as Weiss continued on. She knelt at Yang's side. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"I hate hammers." Yang groaned. "And mages."

"I'll take that as a yes." Weiss said with a smile.

Blake and Ruby rushed into the ring. "Yay!" Ruby exclaimed. "We did it!"

"What do you mean we?" Blake asked. "We just watched."

"We're all on the same team here." Ruby said. "We're all winners."

"Not them." Weiss said, looking back at her opponents.

Nora knelt on the ground crying as Ren stood beside her with a hand on her shoulder. "Where will we go?" Nora sobbed. "We don't even have a home to go back to."

"It'll be alright." Ren assured her. "We'll figure something out."

"I just don't…" Nora cried, the rest of her words garbled. Ren did his best to soothe her but was obviously not the man for the task.

"I'm very sorry, but you two must leave, immediately." The commander said. "We made a deal."

"They will be doing nothing of the sort." Weiss said. She walked up to the group. "You both showed impressive skill." Nora looked up at her, still crying. Ren barely seemed to notice Weiss' existence. "I would like to hire you as my retainers. Come fight with me, and when this war is over I will see to it that you can settle wherever you please."

"R-really?" Nora stammered. "You're serious?"

"I am." Weiss said. She offered her hand. Nora took it and Weiss pulled her to her feet. "Well, what is your reply?"

"Of course we'll do it!" Nora exclaimed. "Right Ren?!" Ren nodded. "This is so exciting! We get to go on an adventure and we finally get to have a home! A real home!"

"I'm afraid having a home is dependent on our winning this war." Weiss sighed. "That goes for all of us."

"Oh, we'll win!" Nora said. "No doubt about it!"

"I like her enthusiasm but I think she's a bit too optimistic...and manic." Yang said. "Your Majesty, are you sure we should take them on?"

"I don't know." Weiss said with a devious smile. "Perhaps another demonstration of their abilities is in order. Or was one round enough for you?"

"Point taken." Yang said, holding up her hands. "Welcome aboard."

"Hooray!" Ruby exclaimed. "New friends!"

"I didn't come here to make friends." Blake said. "But they will make valuable additions to our force."

"Now that we've got this settled it's time we left for the capital." Weiss said. "We have important business to attend to."

"A detachment of my soldiers will see to your safe passage." The commander said. "Though judging by that fight I'd say you don't need the help. Still, a promise is a promise."

"Thank you." Weiss said. "I will put in a good word with your superiors. Let us proceed."


	4. Tournament

Chapter 4

The garrison commander may have phrased things in the most polite way possible, but it was clear that the soldiers were not accompanying the group for their protection. They were there to keep an eye on them. Given the circumstances it made sense and none of them were particularly offended. Weiss had to wonder what the small group of not very well trained soldiers could possibly do if she tried to do something. In the end it was nice to have them along as guides with local knowledge. It made reaching the capital much smoother. After the deserts of Plegian, Ferox was unpleasantly cold. The group were glad when they finally arrived at their destination.

"So what's the plan princess?" Yang asked.

"Well, we should probably seek an audience with the Khans, and meet with the Chon'sin government-in-exile if we can." Weiss suggested.

"I'm not sure my fellows will want to see you." Blake warned. "You may have taken a stand against your father but you're still his daughter."

"I'm pretty sure they'll be interested in the deal I have in mind." Weiss said. "I just hope all this doesn't take too long. Time is of the essence."

A Feroxi soldier, an officer judging by his ornate armor, approached the group. "The Khans would like to meet with you immediately." He reported. "Please come with me."

"That takes care of that." Yang said. "Let's go."

The group followed the officer. He led them to a palace, a rather simple one by Weiss' standards. It was imposing rather than luxurious, more of a fortress really. After a brief wait they were led into a great hall. The only others present were a man and a woman, both dressed in armor even more ornate than the officer's. They were arguing about something, military in nature based on the few words the guests picked up. "I've brought the Valmese princess and her retinue." The officer announced. The pair ceased their arguing immediately.

"Welcome to Ferox." The woman said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Glynda Goodwitch, North-Khan."

"And I am James Ironwood, South-Khan." The man said. "The ruling Khan, it must be said." Glynda rolled her eyes. In Ferox each Khan ruled his/her half of the kingdom independently, but for some matters and disputes it was necessary to have a unified command. The ruling Khan was periodically decided by combat between champions.

"For now." Glynda said. "But I digress. Your father has declared war on us, blaming us for the assassination of the empress. Yet you wish to join us. Why?"

"It was the emperor who arranged for the empress' death, and he arranged for my own as well." Weiss replied. "We may not necessarily be natural allies, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If we join forces we will both be stronger."

"Well said." James said. "But you don't seem to have much of an army behind you. Even if we could trust you, why should we ally with you?"

"When I return the people of Chon'sin will rally to my cause." Weiss said. "Many in Valm wish to escape the emperor's oppressive rule. They will not accept another outsider as their ruler, but they will accept me."

"So you seek to overthrow your father." Glynda said. "That's an interesting proposition, but not one easily accomplished."

"I will seek out other allies." Weiss continued. "My father will not be satisfied with the conquest of your kingdom. He will not be satisfied until the whole world is his."

"Ylisse may be receptive to your overtures." James suggested. "They have long watched your father with concern. Even Plegia may assist."

"There is one sticking point." Glynda said. "As you know, we are allied to the exiles from Chon'sin. One of them is among your number, so you are surely aware of the situation. We cannot simply abandon them."

"I would not ask you to." Weiss said. "If I am successful in my bid to unseat my father, I will welcome the return of the exiles and restore Chon'sin's autonomy."

"That's quite the offer." James said. "Unfortunately I doubt the exiles will trust you to follow through with it. What reason would you have to do so? How does it benefit you?"

"The people of Chon'sin have been very good to me, even though my family has not been good to them." Weiss said. "This isn't about what's best for me. It's about what's right. It's about correcting the wrongs committed by my father."

"I think she makes a good case." Glynda concluded. "What do you think James?"

"I think it would be wise for us to join forces." James replied. "She will be of great assistance in the coming war."

"So we are allies then." Weiss said. "Shall we draw up a treaty?"

"Who needs a treaty?" Glynda laughed.

"If you turn on us we'll just kill you." James said. "We would expect you to do the same to us."

"Oh, I like these guys." Yang said.

"So James, can we finally move along with the tournament?" Glynda asked.

"Of course." James answered.

"Tournament?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, as war is imminent, we're going to decide who the ruling Khan will be." James said. "There will be a formal tournament attached, but the main event will be single combat between our respective champions." He turned to Glynda. "Have you selected your champion?"

"You know I have." Glynda replied. "You're the one dragging his feet."

"Alright then." James said. "Princess Weiss of Valm, would you or one of your number do me the honor of representing me in this fight?"

"Of course." Weiss said. "Single combat, correct?" James nodded. "My retainer Yang Xiao-Long will represent you. She has won both tournaments she has entered in Chon'sin."

"Undefeated." Yang boasted. "I'm one hell of a bar-fighter too."

"Oh, I like her." James said.

"The tournament is tomorrow." Glynda said. "The combat to decide the ruling Khan will be at the very end. The rest of you are welcome to join in the normal tournament as well. Until then I suggest you try to smooth things over with the exiles."

* * *

"That could have gone better." Weiss sighed after meeting with the Chon'sin exiles.

"Not really." Blake said. "You should be glad they didn't try to kill you. That's the sort of reception I would have expected for a Schnee."

"Let's not rule anything out, the night is young." Weiss groaned. "I offered them everything they could want and still they treat me like trash."

"Trust doesn't come easily for us." Blake said. "Surely you can see why they would hesitate to offer their support."

"I would settle for dropping the enmity." Weiss said. "Maybe the Khans can convince them we're on the same side, or maybe just put some pressure on them. That pair don't seem like the type to use gentle persuasion."

"You'd be surprised, but you're right." Blake said. "They do tend to be heavy-handed, even with allies. Give it some time. I haven't slit your throat yet, and gods I've wanted to a few times. Hopefully the enemy of my enemy thing will sway them like it swayed me."

"We're out of Chon'sin and I currently rule nothing." Weiss said. "I have new allies. You don't need to side with me any longer if you don't want to."

"We have a common enemy." Blake said. "Once this is over we'll settle our business."

"What business do we have?" Weiss asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Blake said. "Like I said, we'll settle this when the war's over."

* * *

Ruby and Nora decided to enter the tournament but the others sat out. Yang was busy preparing for her fight against Glynda's champion. Weiss felt fighting in a tournament was below her station. Ren knew mages usually fared poorly in single combat. Blake was just not interested. Ruby and Nora were both surprised at how easily they advanced through the competition. Most of the other fighters were mediocre at best. They tended to be slow heavy-hitters besides, and Ruby's speed allowed her to run circles around them. They could not even touch her. Nora simply overpowered the competition. However strong they were she was stronger, or maybe it was just her hammer. It seemed to hit harder than it was swung.

No one was surprised when the final match came down to Nora and Ruby. They had each stomped the competition, leaving no doubt as to who the best warriors were. The preceding fights had been held at various places around the capital but the final was to take place in the grand stadium beside the palace. The imposing stone structure was circular in shape with dozens of rows of seats held aloft by towering arches. Inside the ring was similarly circular with ornate patterns in the stonework on the floor. A crowd of thousands had gathered, led in their cheers by the Khans themselves in the royal box. Weiss was privileged to be their guest at ringside though she kept out of the wild cheering, retaining her usual measured facade.

Ruby climbed the stairs to the arena floor and the trapdoor closed behind her. Nora did the same at the opposite end of the arena and the pair faced off. Ruby knew Nora would be no pushover. She had done some serious damage to Yang. Ruby still had speed on her side, her weapon granting a supernatural advantage in that respect, but Nora was still pretty quick. That and her huge range made her a very dangerous opponent. Then there was her hammer. From what Ruby had seen it must have been a legendary weapon as well, emitting shockwaves on contact as it did. Nora called it Magnhild but never explained its mystical properties. Whatever the full nature of it, Ruby would need to avoid it at all costs. Yang's metal plate armor had been crumpled by one shot from it and Ruby's own leather armor would do little to soften such a blow.

A hush came over the cheering crowd as James raised his arms. "Now, it is time to determine the tournament champion!" He shouted. "Both of these fighters have bested all comers and remain undefeated! On my right, Ruby Rose of Chon'sin!" The crowd cheered. "And on my left, Nora Valkyrie of Plegia!" There was something of a confused silence followed by a few isolated boos and some hateful shouts. Nora seemed to shrink from it, lowering her head in shame.

"You're from Plegia?" Ruby asked, her voice easily carrying across the arena. Nora nodded. It looked as if she wanted to hide. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. We can't control where we're from." Nora's mood seemed to brighten a bit and the crowd ceased its abuse. "Come on! Cheer up and fight me!" Nora smiled and straightened her posture. She swung Magnhild around a few times before smashing it into the arena floor hard enough to crack the stone. "That's more like it!" Ruby held her scythe at the ready. Both looked to the royal box.

"Ready?!" James shouted.

"Yeah!" Nora exclaimed.

"Yep!" Ruby shouted.

"Then let the battle commence!" James exclaimed.

Ruby and Nora ran at each other. At the last second Ruby doubled her speed, passing under Nora's hammer. She hooked Nora's ankles with her scythe, yanking her legs out from under her. Ruby slid to a stop as Nora fell but Nora's hammer impacted the ground and the resulting shockwave pushed Ruby off-balance and she was unable to press the advantage. Nora was quickly back on her feet, whirled around and slammed her hammer down at Ruby. Ruby dove away but the shockwave sent her tumbling. She rolled across the arena floor and landed flat on her back.

Nora rushed up to Ruby, swung her hammer over her head and brought it crashing down. Ruby rolled out of the way and was tossed further by the shockwave. She used the momentum to flip to her feet, just in time to leap over a horizontal swing of Nora's hammer. Nora kept her hammer in motion, swinging it back up and over her head to bring down again. This time Ruby planted the butt end of her scythe in a groove in the arena floor stonework. The hammer impacted the top of the scythe. With the scythe more or less indestructible and rendered immovable by its position wedged in the ground, the only thing that could give was the hammer. The shockwave ripped it from Nora's hands and it sailed into the air.

Ruby spun around, hooked Nora around the waist with her scythe and with a twist sent Nora flying through the air. Ruby gave chase as Nora flew across the arena and slammed into the wall at its edge. Ruby leapt and twirled around, meaning to hit Nora in the face with a spinning blow from the blunt end of her scythe, but Nora ducked under the attack. Ruby's scythe struck the wall and Ruby was knocked off balance. Nora lunged forward and tackled her, driving her into the ground. Ruby kept rolling and with a kick forced Nora to tumble off. Both combatants scrambled to their feet.

Ruby had the wind knocked out of her and struggled to catch her breath, leaning on her scythe for support. Nora raced away and retrieved her hammer. Ruby completed her recovery just as Nora turned to attack. The pair again charged at one another. This time Ruby jumped up, over the hammer swing, and hooked Nora's armor with her scythe. Nora was dragged onto her back and hit the back of her head on the floor. She was dazed, seeing double and unable to move. Ruby stood over her, swung her scythe around and stopped the blade an inch from Nora's neck. "I win." Ruby said. Nora had no response.

"Stop!" James shouted from the royal box. "We have a winner! Ruby Rose of Chon'sin! All hail the tournament champion!" Wild cheers erupted from the crowd.

Ruby stowed her weapon across her back then reached down to help Nora to her feet. Nora took her hand and Ruby helped her up. Nora was still dizzy and stumbled a bit. Ruby grabbed Nora's arm and raised it into the air. "She deserves your applause as much as I do!" Ruby shouted to the crowd. There was a hush before a sudden renewed burst of cheering. "Great fight Nora."

"You were really great too." Nora said. "But I'll get you next time. And...thanks...for everything."

"Don't mention it." Ruby said. "Nobody should be hated just because of where they were born. I don't care where you're from, you're my friend."

"Great match you two." James said. He had descended into the arena along with Glynda and Weiss. Glynda was carrying something. "As tournament champion, I bestow upon you this sacred bow, Nidhogg." Glynda unwrapped the weapon and held it out before Ruby. The image of a two-headed serpent was carved into it, with each head holding the ends of the string.

Ruby took hold of the bow and looked it over. She had not been expecting any reward for her victory, but this was perfect. Ruby loved unique weapons and enjoyed using them even more. "I guess I'll have to learn to shoot." Ruby said. "Thank you very much. I'm honored."

"The honor is mine champion." Glynda said. "Now go, celebrate your victory."

"Our main event will begin shortly!" James shouted to the crowd. "Single combat between champions to determine the ruling Khan!"

Ruby would go celebrate, eventually, but first she had to go see Yang. She wanted to encourage her sister before the big fight. After missing out on the main tournament, something Yang would have loved to be a part of, she would need some cheering up.

* * *

Ruby met up with Yang in a waiting area beneath the arena floor. A series of staircases led up to the ring. The fact that the contestants seemed almost to rise from the floor was meant to add excitement to the proceedings. In certain events they could also be used for a nasty surprise, releasing more combatants into the fight without warning. Yang was armored up and ready for battle. She had no idea who her opponent would be. On the plus side her opponent would be similarly in the dark until the pair emerged into the ring.

"I heard you won." Yang said. "Congrats. I guess you take after your big sis."

"It was so cool!" Ruby exclaimed. "Everyone was cheering and they even gave me this sweet bow!" Ruby slipped Nidhogg off her back and held it before Yang. "It's supposed to be sacred or something. It's so awesome!"

"You and your weapons." Yang laughed. "I wish I could have joined in."

"But then I wouldn't have won." Ruby said. "I'm pretty good but I'm not anywhere near your level."

"You're closer than you think." Yang encouraged her. "Beating Nora couldn't have been easy. My ribs still hurt from when I fought her."

"Yang, it's almost time." One of the stagehands called.

"Looks like it's time to fight." Yang said. She slammed her gauntlets together. "You should get topside. You'll want to watch."

"Good luck!" Ruby said. She started to leave but turned around and ran back. "Take this." She held Nidhogg and a quiver full of arrows out to Yang.

"You know I can't shoot a bow in these gauntlets." Yang said.

"Just to give your opponent something to think about." Ruby insisted. Yang shrugged and took the bow, slipping it around her back along with the quiver. "Break a leg!"

* * *

The trapdoor was opened and Yang walked up the stairs to the arena. She emerged to bright light and a cheering crowd. She was in her element. She raised her hands, encouraging the crowd to be louder. Then a trapdoor opened across the arena. The crowd quieted somewhat. A woman rode out astride a Pegasus. She was tall with long red hair, clad in a mix of leather and bronze armor and wielding a lance and shield. The crowd went crazy, cheering even more loudly than they had for Yang. Yang had no idea who her opponent was but the crowd apparently did. Her opponent spotted Nidhogg. Bows were very good at shooting a Pegasus out of the sky. The woman hopped off her mount and ordered it back down the steps just before the trapdoor closed. She would fight dismounted.

"It's time for the fight you've all been waiting for!" James shouted from the royal box. "This is our main event, the combat to determine the ruling Khan!" The crowd went wild. James waited for them to quiet a bit before continuing. "On my left, representing me as South-Khan, is Yang Xiao-Long of Chon'sin!" The crowd was less enthusiastic than Yang had expected. "And on my right, representing Glynda as North-Khan, Pyrrha Nikos of Ylisse!" The announcement was followed by the loudest cheering yet. Now Yang knew why. Pyrrha was as much a legend on this continent as Yang was in Chon'sin. Whether it be in Ylisse, Plegia or Ferox, Pyrrha had never lost a match. There had been talk of her visiting Valm for a tournament there and Yang had been looking forward to facing her. That showdown had just been moved up.

The bow having done its job, Yang tossed Nidhogg and its associated quiver aside. "I always wanted to fight you!" Yang shouted across the ring. Pyrrha smiled but offered no response.

"Ready?!" James shouted.

"Oh yeah!" Yang yelled. Pyrrha calmly nodded.

"Then let the battle commence!" James exclaimed.

Yang edged toward her opponent as Pyrrha remained in place. After closing the distance down to half of what it had been, Yang broke into a sprint. Pyrrha stepped back, held her lance aloft and threw it. Yang punched it out of the way and kept running. Pyrrha then spun around and whipped her shield at Yang like a discus. Yang punched it aside as well. The fool, she had disarmed herself. Her gauntlets flaming, Yang cocked her arm and unleashed as powerful a running punch as she could manage. Pyrrha side-stepped it, almost casually. Yang spun around, loosing a wild left hook. Pyrrha ducked the swing and rolled backwards. Yang looked down to follow her motion but something moving caught her eye.

Yang raised her arms up to cover her face just as Pyrrha's shield came sailing through the air, heading straight for her. The shield hit her gauntlets hard and bounced off, right into Pyrrha's waiting left hand. With her right she already held her lance. They were clearly no ordinary weapons. Ordinary weapons did not move on their own. Unbeknownst to Yang, the weapons and Pyrrha had been linked by a powerful spell, allowing her to control them. Yang fired a straight right at Pyrrha but it was forcefully deflected with the shield. Yang slipped off-balance and Pyrrha hit her in the chest with her lance.

Yang stumbled back but Pyrrha offered her no respite. A shield-bash to the face knocked Yang off her feet. Pyrrha leapt at her but Yang rolled out of the way, sweeping Pyrrha's legs as she did. As Pyrrha slammed down on her side Yang leapt atop her, pinning her lance to the ground with one knee while pressing the other against Pyrrha's side to keep her pinned. Pyrrha attempted to bash Yang with the shield again but Yang grabbed hold of it, ripped it from Pyrrha's grasp and tossed it aside.

Yang slammed her hand down on Pyrrha's chest, flattening her out and allowing Yang to posture up. She rained punches down on Pyrrha's face as she used her one free hand to block as best she could. Pyrrha squirmed to get free but Yang had her locked in place. Then, Yang caught some movement out of the corner of her eye. Pyrrha's shield came flying across the arena and slammed into the side of Yang's head. She was stunned for a moment. It was all Pyrrha needed. Pyrrha released her trapped lance, shifted her arm under Yang's hip and rolled, flipping the position so that she was now on top. Pyrrha pressed one knee into Yang's elbow and kept Yang's other arm trapped with one of her own. Pyrrha's lance lifted from the ground and floated into her hand. She held it near the blade, moving it to within inches of Yang's throat.

Pyrrha looked up at the royal box. James was understandably reluctant to call the match and admit his champion's defeat. "Yield." Pyrrha commanded, moving the blade so it just touched Yang's skin. "I don't want to have to hurt you."

"I'd rather you slit my throat." Yang said. "I won't disgrace myself by giving up."

Pyrrha seemed frozen by indecision. Could she really kill her opponent? "Enough!" Glynda shouted. "The victor is clear!" The crowd roared in agreement. Still Pyrrha and Yang remained locked in place.

"Very well!" James conceded. "Pyrrha Nikos is the victor!"

"Thanks for not killing me." Yang said with a wink. "I appreciate it." Pyrrha took a deep breath and stood up. She reached down, offering Yang her hand. "Thanks champ." Yang said. She took Pyrrha's hand and pulled herself up. "That's a hell of a trick with the shield. No wonder no one can beat you."

Pyrrha took a step back and bowed. "It was an honor to fight you." She said. "You are a brave and skilled opponent."

"Wow, unstoppable fighter, gracious in victory and drop-dead gorgeous." Yang laughed. "Oh man, do I like you." Pyrrha was left speechless, almost frozen, and blushing. "I should have said that at the beginning." Yang laughed. "Looks like there is a move you can't recover from."

James, Glynda and Weiss descended from the royal box. "Your winner!" Glynda shouted, raising Pyrrha's arm. The crowd cheered.

James knelt before Glynda. "I recognize you as ruling Khan." He said. "For now."

"Are you alright Yang?" Weiss asked.

"I'm fine." Yang said. "Flying shields hurt though. My pride hurts pretty bad too. So much for being undefeated."

"I just hope your loss doesn't affect our standing with the Khans." Weiss said.

"Fear not, you still have our support." Glynda said. "Take my retainer and go to Ylisse to gather more allies."

"Your retainer?" Weiss said.

"She's your retainer now." Glynda said. "I warn you, she's not cheap."

"It has been an honor Khan Glynda." Pyrrha said with a bow.

"We're going to be working together?" Yang said. "I like where this is going."

Weiss smacked Yang on the back of the head. "Stop flirting." She admonished. "It's…"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry princess." Yang groaned. "I know, it's unbecoming and all that."


	5. The Countess

Chapter 5

"I don't think there's anything else for us to do in Ferox." Blake said as the group stood outside the arena. "The exiles will support us or they won't. The Khans will be ready for war or they won't. There isn't much we can do about either."

"So what's our next move?" Yang asked.

"I think I can help with that." Pyrrha said. "Ylisse has a very friendly relationship with Ferox. If we can rally them to the cause Valm will be very hard pressed to defeat both at the same time. My estate isn't far from the border. If we head there I can get in touch with the nobles and work on getting an audience with the Exalt."

"That's a fantastic idea." Weiss said. "How well connected are you?"

"As a countess I'm well acquainted with most of Ylisse's nobility." Pyrrha replied.

"You're a countess?" Weiss said. "What are you doing as a retainer in Ferox?"

"I came here to fight." Pyrrha said. "Ylisse has been at peace since before I was born and it looked as if that would be the case for a long time. Ferox is almost always at war with Plegia. Fighting in tournaments is one thing, but fighting on a real battlefield is an entirely different experience. I don't just want to be someone who puts on a show. I want to fight for justice. That's why I'm willing to follow you even though you don't have the coin to pay me."

"Wow, you're so cool!" Ruby exclaimed. "You're like a hero straight out of the stories Yang told me when I was little."

"I just want to do what's right." Pyrrha said.

"That's what makes you so awesome!" Ruby exclaimed. "You could just keep fighting tournaments and live a life of luxury, but you're willing to give it up for the greater good."

"I suppose it's a noble goal." Pyrrha shrugged. "I don't think it's that big a deal."

"It is a big deal." Blake said. "If more people were like you and less like her father, the world would be a much better place."

"I'm reflexively insulted by that, but I really shouldn't be." Weiss sighed. "He needs to be stopped."

"So, Pyrrha, have you seen any real combat?" Ren asked.

"A little, but not much." Pyrrha admitted. "The last war with Plegia ended just after I arrived. I have trained extensively with Ferox's top fighters though."

"That's a relief." Nora said.

"That's right, you're from Plegia." Yang said. "How'd you end up in Ferox."

"I'd rather not talk about it." Nora said. Tears welled in her eyes but she suppressed the emotion. "I'm going to get something to eat before we leave." With that she ran off.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…" Yang called after her, but she was gone.

"I suppose I should tell you." Ren said. "Better that than having you all wonder."

"If it's too painful you don't have to." Yang said.

"It's fine." Ren assured her. "I've come to terms with what happened." He paused and looked off into the distance. "When we were kids Plegia was at war with Ferox again. We lived in a village near the border. Whenever Ferox invaded their army would end up passing through. They mostly left our village alone. When this particular war started, the village leaders decided to side with Ferox. There wasn't the same religious conviction that kept most of Plegia in line and the rule was oppressive. Unfortunately the Plegian army got to our village before the soldiers from Ferox. They went about killing everyone and burning the place to the ground."

"How did you survive?" Pyrrha asked.

"Nora and I were out in the forest." Ren continued. "She was climbing trees and I was using magic to make sure she didn't hit the ground too hard if she fell. We heard what was happening and hid, but a Plegian soldier came to search the forest. He spotted me and drew his sword, but Nora jumped out of the tree she had been climbing and landed on his head. He fell down and she knocked him out with a rock. The commotion attracted other soldiers so I drained the unconscious soldier's life force to make a shield around the two of us. A few hours later the vanguard of Ferox's army arrived and the Plegians ran off. Nora and I were the only ones left alive."

"That's horrible." Yang groaned. "I'm so sorry I brought it up."

"Like I said, I've come to terms with it." Ren said. "Anyway, the general leading Ferox's army asked us what happened. When we told him he was impressed by how we'd survived. He took us along with the army and then when the war was over he took us to his home and raised us as his own. He was a minor noble who ruled a village near the border where Nora and I first met the rest of you. We were treated like family and trained alongside the other children in the village. Everything was going well until he died. Then we were just outsiders, from Plegia no less. There had always been some resentment of the special treatment the general gave us and without his protection the villagers took out that resentment on us. We were forced to move out of the general's manor and into a shack outside the village. We no longer had a place where we really belonged Your arrival was the perfect excuse to expel us entirely. I thank you for taking us with you. It means more than you know."

"That's awful." Weiss said, on the edge of tears. "I promise that when this is over I'll make this right. I don't know how, but I'll do everything in my power."

"You're too kind." Ren said.

"No, the world is too cruel." Weiss countered.

"Hold on a moment." Blake cut in. "You said you drained the Plegian soldier's life force to shield you and Nora. That's dark magic."

"I grew up in Plegia." Ren said matter-of-factly. "Dark magic is pretty much all they teach. I'm well versed in more...acceptable magic as well. If it makes you uncomfortable I can limit myself to the use of more conventional arts."

"You don't seem evil enough to be a dark mage." Ruby blurted out.

"Not every dark mage is evil." Yang said. "Real life isn't like the fairy tales."

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to imply…" Ruby started.

"Don't worry about it." Ren said. "Most people would have run away in terror by now."

"I still feel kind of bad." Ruby sighed.

Pyrrha did not like the direction of the conversation and decided to refocus the group. "I should go make arrangements for our trip to Ylisse." She offered. "I can get us horses. If we leave soon we can be at my estate by tomorrow evening."

"Excellent idea." Weiss said. "Ruby and Blake, go with her. Yang and I will procure the necessary supplies. Ren...make sure Nora's alright." Ren nodded. "We'll meet back here once we've got everything together."

* * *

With everything gathered the group set off for Pyrrha's estate on horseback. Her county was located in the corner of Ylisse, bordered by both Ferox and Plegia. As such it was one of the most strategically important parts of the country. As Pyrrha explained, her set of weapons - Milo and Akouo - had been bestowed upon her family by the Exalt generations earlier and passed down since. Her parents had died of disease when she was young, so the weapons and the county had passed to her. Since she was underage at the time, the Exalt had assigned one of his most trusted advisors as regent. He remained in place when Pyrrha left for Ferox, with the Exalt's blessing, to gain more combat experience.

Pyrrha guided the party, riding her pegasus at the head of the column. She occasionally took to the sky to scout ahead, but mostly remained grounded. "Your pegasus is really pretty." Ruby said.

"Keeping my mount well groomed is part of being a Pegasus Knight." Pyrrha said.

"Could you teach me to ride a pegasus?" Ruby asked.

"Well, how's your horseback riding?" Pyrrha asked.

"You know how this horse threw me twice when we first got it?" Ruby said. Pyrrha nodded. "It usually goes worse."

"Maybe I should teach you how to ride horses first then." Pyrrha suggested.

"Why?" Ruby groaned. "Me and horses just don't get along."

"Why?" Pyrrha repeated. "Because if you fall off a horse you get a little bruised, maybe break a bone or two. If you fall off a Pegasus...well...splat."

"But I...that's a good point." Ruby conceded. "I guess it would make sense too. I am Master of Horse after all."

"That's a grand title for someone your age." Pyrrha observed. "No offense."

"Before we fled Chon'sin Weiss didn't have a lot of options." Ruby admitted. "Yang, Blake and I were pretty much the only ones she could trust. Well...maybe just Yang and I. She doesn't seem to get along with Blake."

"You've all been through a lot, haven't you?" Pyrrha sighed.

"It's not so bad." Ruby said. "At least not for me. I got to travel the world and meet cool people like you." Ruby frowned. "But Weiss lost everything."

"Not everything." Pyrrha said. "She still has her friends. That's something. It can be lonely at the top and she's blessed to have you."

"I'd prefer if you didn't talk about me like I'm not here." Weiss shouted from farther back in the group.

"Sorry!" Ruby and Pyrrha replied in unison.

"So...you're really good with your lance." Ruby said. "Can you use any other weapons?"

"I'm proficient in the use of most arms." Pyrrha said. She was being modest. In reality she was an expert in just about everything - lances, swords, axes, hammers, bows, javelins, she was even gifted in the use of magic.

"Well...could you teach me to use a bow?" Ruby asked. "I know you already said you'd teach me to ride, but I got this awesome bow for winning the tournament and I want to be able to use it."

"I'm not sure how good a teacher I'll be, but I'll do what I can." Pyrrha agreed. "I am your comrade after all."

"Comrade sounds so stuffy." Ruby complained. "How about friend?"

"Friend?" Pyrrha gasped. "I'm not…"

"Are we not friends?" Ruby asked.

"That's not it." Pyrrha said. "I'm just not that familiar with the concept. When I was growing up I was surrounded by adults. There was really no one my age, so I never really had a normal friend. Then when I got older I was too busy training and fighting in tournaments. I guess you'd be the first real friend I ever had."

"We're all your friends!" Yang called.

"Yeah!" Nora exclaimed.

"This...this means a lot." Pyrrha said. She was briefly very emotional, but quickly brought herself back into line. "Thank you."

"A week ago I was running a duchy." Weiss sighed. "Now all I'm running is a band of weirdos."

"This band of weirdos is going to win you an empire." Yang encouraged.

"I certainly hope so." Weiss said. "Then maybe Blake will tell me what business the two of us have." Blake just glared at Weiss. Pyrrha seemed to perk up at the comment but said nothing. Weiss noticed. Pyrrha knew something. Weiss would have to ask her later.

* * *

The group traveled through the night and into the following day, arriving at Pyrrha's county a little after midday. The border garrison detached some soldiers to act as an honor guard to escort the group the short distance to the estate. Upon arriving in the county's main village - Nikopolis, whether it was named for Pyrrha's family or her family was named for the place had been lost to history - the locals lined the streets to get a glimpse at their returning lord. A princess was among the group but the locals were only interested in Pyrrha. The group was showered with flower petals by the cheering crowds as they made their way through the streets. Even Weiss had never experienced anything quite like it. Pyrrha seemed embarrassed by all the adulation.

After passing through Nikopolis it was just a short trip through the countryside to get to Pyrrha's estate. They arrived late in the afternoon. The soldiers that had accompanied them headed back to their posts at the border and the locals that had taken to following the group returned home. "I imagine the reception I'll get when I go home won't be quite so grand." Weiss groaned.

"The people of Chon'sin love you." Yang encouraged. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled by your return, regardless of the circumstances."

"I want to believe that." Weiss sighed. "I just…"

The conversation was interrupted as the group approached the manor house. The doors opened and several soldiers emerged in double file. They split, lining either side of the stairs that led to the door and knelt before their lord. Then a tall, lanky man stepped out of the doors and waited at the top of the stairs. "Welcome home Countess." The man said with a bow.

"It's good to be back." Pyrrha said. "Thank you for taking care of things while I was gone." She turned to the rest of the group. "Allow me to introduce my regent…"

"Uncle Qrow?" Yang gasped.

"You know…" Pyrrha started.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby exclaimed. She rushed to him with all the super-natural speed afforded by her weapon and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"Hey kiddo." Qrow said. He tussled Ruby's hair. "Good to see you."

"Qrow Branwen?" Blake asked.

"I see introductions are mostly unnecessary." Pyrrha said, amused. "Well, Qrow Branwen, meet Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren. And may I introduce Her Majesty…"

"Princess Weiss." Qrow finished for her. "I take it the rumors are true then."

"Unfortunately." Weiss confirmed. "And war is coming."

"I know." Qrow said. "I assume you're here to rally allies to your cause."

"We are." Weiss said.

"If my nieces are on your side, I am too, I guess." Qrow said. "Though now my regency is at its end and I am without a title."

"Just put in a good word with the Exalt." Pyrrha suggested.

"Of course, Countess." Qrow said. "I'll head to the capital and arrange an audience."

"Not just yet." Pyrrha said. "I have returned and with distinguished guests. We must have a banquet. Please join us."

"How can I say no?" Qrow laughed. "I'm not one to pass up free booze."

"Or any booze." Pyrrha observed.

"Sounds like you haven't changed since you left Chon'sin." Yang said. "Dad said he never saw you without a drink in your hand."

"I am what I am." Qrow shrugged. "So, should we head inside or are we going to stand out here all night?"

"Oh, sorry, where are my manners?" Pyrrha scrambled. "Come in, come in. I'll have the servants prepare your quarters immediately."

Qrow remained by the door as the group headed inside. Ruby and Yang remained with him. They still had some catching up to do. "What have you been up to?" Yang asked.

"You know, fighting for peace and justice, searching for your mother, chasing girls, the usual." Qrow answered.

"Have you found mom?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, sort of." Qrow replied. "She's in Plegia. Unfortunately that puts her beyond my reach. Maybe your showing up will draw her out."

"I hope so." Yang said. "I have a lot of questions for her."

"Me too kid." Qrow sighed. "Hey...uh...I'm really sorry you kids got caught up in this war. Being an exile is rough, I know. The Exalt and I knew the Emperor was up to something, but we never imagined he would do something so...despicable. Arranging the deaths of his own wife and daughter...just to start a war."

"We're going to stop him." Ruby said. "And we'll make Weiss the new Emperor."

"Are you sure she's any better?" Qrow pressed. "She's a Schnee. In my experience…"

"Don't even imply that Weiss is like her father." Yang growled, getting in Qrow's face. "She's a good person. She's shown us and the people of Chon'sin nothing but kindness."

"Looks like I touched a nerve." Qrow smirked. "Young love is a beautiful thing."

"What are you talking about?" Yang demanded.

"Nothing." Qrow said. "I'm just an old drunk spouting nonsense."

"We know you too well for that to work." Ruby said.

Qrow shrugged. "We should probably head inside." He suggested. "Your friends are waiting."

* * *

Weiss found Pyrrha conversing with one of her servants. After receiving his orders the man rushed off. The banquet was being set up on very short notice and everyone, Pyrrha included, was scrambling to get things ready. "Countess, do you have a moment?" Weiss asked.

"Of course Your Majesty." Pyrrha said. "I cannot refuse a request from my liege."

"First off, I'm not paying you, and I rule nothing, so I'm not your liege." Weiss said. "Second, you'll soon find that my retainers are very capable of refusing my requests." There was an awkward silence. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about Blake."

"I don't know her well." Pyrrha said. "In my capacity as a retainer for Khan Glynda I was acquainted with the Chon'sin exiles but I didn't get to know them. What is it you want to know?"

"Blake said she and I have some business with one another." Weiss replied. "She refused to explain, saying she would once the war was over. When I mentioned this on our journey here, you took notice but said nothing. What do you know?"

"She's quite influential with the exiles." Pyrrha said. "She's a top candidate for their leader if they regain their kingdom."

"What does that have to do with me personally?" Weiss pressed.

"You specifically, nothing." Pyrrha answered. "Your family...that's a different story."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"It's why she's so influential that matters." Pyrrha continued. "It's only a rumor, and not even all the exiles believe it, but supposedly Blake's descended from Chon'sin's rightful royal family. Maybe rightful isn't the correct word, I mean no offense…"

"None taken." Weiss cut her off. "But that's absurd. The entirety of the old royal family died in the conquest or in exile, leaving no heirs."

"What if that's not the case?" Pyrrha pressed. "Blake's an orphan, but her father was supposedly the last living heir to the throne. Some say she's illegitimate, but given the lack of other heirs, she's as close as Chon'sin is going to get to its old royal family. That is if it's true. What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think." Weiss sighed. "That's something I'll have to sort out with her. What I think doesn't matter anyway. What matters is what she believes."


	6. The Battle of Nikopolis

Chapter 6

That evening brought the promised banquet. Though assembled in haste it included an impressive spread of expertly prepared, succulent foods from all corners of Ylisse. Wine flowed freely and the atmosphere was a joyous one, despite the alarming developments between Valm and Ferox. The group's lives were full of troubles but for a few hours they could just enjoy themselves. It was a welcome respite after days spent running and fighting. Unfortunately it was to be cut short.

"Countess, there is an emergency!" A soldier shouted as he burst into the hall.

Pyrrha recognized the man as a horseman from the border garrison. "What is it?" She asked. "Report."

"Risen, dozens of them." The soldiers said breathlessly. "They came out of nowhere and were upon us before we knew what was happening. They overwhelmed our forces and are heading toward Nikopolis."

"Everyone, arm yourselves!" Pyrrha commanded. Qrow sprung up and rushed off to gather any nearby soldiers. "We must protect the villagers." Weiss' group hesitated.

"You heard her!" Weiss shouted. She leapt from her chair and held Myrtenaster aloft. "Let's go!"

The group rushed out of the manor and toward Nikopolis. The village was just as close to the border as it was to Pyrrha's estate and time was of the essence. There was a town watch and a small garrison in the village, but if the soldiers at the border could not stop the Risen they would likely not last long. Then the villagers would be defenseless.

"Risen...dark magic." Ren said as the group neared Nikopolis. "Plegia must be behind this."

"But why?" Pyrrha asked. "Plegia and Ylisse have been at peace for decades."

"Isn't it obvious?" Weiss asked. Pyrrha just looked at her. "My father has convinced Plegia to go to war with Ylisse. If Ylisse is busy fighting Plegia they won't be able to help Ferox."

"I hope you're wrong...but…" Pyrrha sighed. "Let's just deal with the task at hand. We can figure this out later."

* * *

When the group reached Nikopolis the town was on alert but the Risen had not yet reached it. Pyrrha led the others and headed straight for the walls that faced the border. Unless the Risen were smart enough to flank the village, and that was unlikely given their zombified nature, that was where they would be coming from. Pyrrha quickly found the soldier commanding the defenses. "Have the Risen launched any attacks?" She asked.

"No Countess." The soldier said with a bow. "We've seen some movement in the forest to the west but so far the Risen haven't engaged."

Pyrrha looked up and down the village walls. "I don't think the defenses will stand up to a sustained attack." She observed.

"Then a static defense would be unwise." Weiss suggested. "In any case we want to keep them as far away from the village as possible."

"If they won't come to us we'll go to them." Yang said. She slammed her gauntlets together and looked to Weiss. "They won't be expecting a counter attack."

"That's true...but we can't leave the village defenseless." Weiss said. She looked to the soldier Pyrrha had been talking to. "No offense. It's just that you're undermanned."

"That's an understatement." The soldier admitted.

"I'll stay here and lead the defense." Pyrrha said. "My soldiers will fight more effectively with their Countess at their side."

"Good idea." Weiss said. "The rest of us will attack into the forest."

"Are you sure about staying here alone?" Ruby asked.

"Don't worry about me." Pyrrha assured her. "I grew up training with these soldiers. I'd trust them with my life."

"Let's go Ruby." Yang called. Weiss, Blake, Ren and Nora had already leapt down from the walls and Yang was straddling the edge.

Ruby hesitated and looked back at Pyrrha. "I'll be fine." Pyrrha assured her. Ruby nodded and followed Yang off the wall.

The group crossed the open field between the wall and the forest in seconds. In the open the moon had effectively illuminated the scene. Now that they were amongst the trees it was much darker. The trees and brush also broke up sight lines. Still the group pressed ahead until they were some way into the forest. Worryingly, they faced no enemies.

"We're surrounded." Blake suddenly announced.

Ren stopped and closed his eyes, concentrating. "She's right." He said. "I can feel them."

"If we're surrounded that means we can attack in any direction." Yang said. An arrow whistled through the air. Blake stepped up and knocked it down with her sword just before it would have struck Weiss. "Alright, who fired that?!" Yang shouted. She slammed her gauntlets together and they burst into flames. The glow from the weapons lit up the forest, showing the group the extent of their predicament. They were surrounded and heavily outnumbered.

The Risen archer that had fired at Weiss nocked another arrow and took aim again. The arrow fired straight into the air as the archer fell backwards, struck in the chest by a fireball produced by Ren. A roar rose from the other Risen and most charged. Ren flipped the page in his tome, then stretched out his hand toward the onrushing enemies. Lightning flew from his fingertips, arcing into the Risen and leaping between them. The group he struck fell and evaporated.

"Roll them up!" Yang ordered. The gap Ren had produced in the Risen line gave the group an opportunity to escape the encirclement and take at least some of their enemies from the flank. Yang and a Risen armed with a spear charged at each other. The spear gave the monster superior reach but it bounced harmlessly off Yang's armor. She closed in and punched it in the chest, her flaming gauntlets setting the creature alight. Yang punched another that attacked her from the side, setting it aflame as well. The rest backed off as their two fellows flailed around wailing before falling to the ground and evaporating. "What are you waiting for?!" Yang demanded. She held up her gauntlets and they allowed her to see the Risen. Now she knew why. A circle or archers stood around her, all ready to fire. Yang tucked her head in and waited for the shower of projectiles.

Weiss pointed Myrtenaster at Yang. Ice fired out of the sword and completely encased Yang just as the arrows arrived. The arrows chipped away at the ice but it effectively shielded her. Unfortunately it also took Yang out of the fight. Weiss charged the archers before they could fire again. At close range they were helpless and she tore them apart with her blade. Blake joined in, finishing off the remaining archers. Weiss tapped Yang with her blade as she passed and the ice disappeared. Yang dropped to the ground in a daze before stumbling back to her feet and into the fight.

Nora was busy obliterating Risen. She spun around, her hammer whipping around and crushing everything in its path. She felled trees as easily as Risen. Any Risen unfortunate enough to get in Nora's way was sent flying, its spectral body shattered. Nora spun to a stop, smiling and laughing. An axe struck the armor on her back. Without even looking she swung her hammer over her head and brought it down on her attacker. The Risen on the receiving end was crushed into the ground. Her wild assault was tiring her out and she began to slow, allowing some enemies to get close. Ren protected Nora by taking out these Risen with blasts of electricity.

Ruby ran around the Risen at super-human speed trailing her scythe. As she passed the monsters her blade sliced them in two. She was far too quick for them to hit or avoid as she darted among them. A blast of wind knocked her onto her back as a Risen mage launched its attack. A group of Risen charged in to take advantage but it was a poor decision. In an instant Ruby sprung up and spun around, ripping the attackers apart. The mage prepared another spell but never got to cast it. Yang slammed into it from behind, punching its head clean off.

The sounds of battle died down. No more clanking metal, no more crackling flames, no more cries of agony. It was over. "Did we get all of them?" Ruby asked.

"Looks like it." Blake replied. For some reason she seemed to have super-human nightvision.

"I can't sense any others." Ren confirmed.

"Let's head back to the village and make sure none of them slipped past us." Weiss said.

* * *

As the group neared the village they noticed an ominous glow. When they emerged from the forest their fears were confirmed. Nikopolis was burning. The defensive wall that surrounded the village appeared to be intact but large sections of the village were on fire. The group rushed inside to help, but it appeared as if everything was now under control. Bucket brigades fought the fires while groups of villagers tore down buildings to create firebreaks. Whatever had happened, it was over.

They finally located Pyrrha. She was wielding a staff, helping to heal some of the wounded in a makeshift hospital set up in the marketplace. Part of her armor was damaged with dried blood surrounding the hole in the leather. She looked exhausted. "Three dead and five wounded in the Southern Ward." A soldier reported to Pyrrha. "All fires are under control and damage is minimal."

"Move the forces covering that ward to the east." Pyrrha ordered. "It's still burning." The soldier nodded, saluted and rushed off.

"Pyrrha, are you alright?!" Ruby yelled. With all her supernatural speed she rushed to Pyrrha's side.

"I'm fine." Pyrrha said. She sounded tired and sad. "Nothing a little healing spell couldn't fix."

"What happened here?" Weiss asked. "Did the Risen breach the defenses?"

"No, the Risen had nothing to do with this." Pyrrha sighed. "I think they were just a diversion."

"A diversion?" Yang asked. "What do you mean?"

Pyrrha looked at the ground. "It started shortly after you left…"

* * *

Pyrrha waited atop the walls on the west side of Nikopolis. That was where the Risen were most likely to make their assault and she was determined to lead from the front. A bright light from inside the village caught her attention. She turned and looked to see several buildings erupt in flames. "What's happening?" Pyrrha demanded. "Did they flank us?"

A wounded soldier approached from the ground. His face was bloody and his arm was twisted at a sickening angle. "Countess...there's…" He gasped and fell to his knees. "Plegian spies have infiltrated...set fires...attacked us…" He wobbled for a moment before falling on his face. Pyrrha and her Pegasus dropped down from the defensive wall. Pyrrha dismounted and rolled the man over. He was already dead.

"We're under attack from the east!" Pyrrha shouted. "Follow me!" She raised her lance and remounted her Pegasus. Rather than flying she gallopped toward the fire so the other soldiers could follow her. The Eastern Ward was the wealthiest part of Nikopolis, and when Pyrrha arrived it was almost entirely engulfed in flames. Some of the town's garrison was fighting against soldiers dressed in identical armor. Even though she had been away for a long time, Pyrrha still remembered the faces of every soldier that had served her before her departure. She did not recognize any of the soldiers in one of the groups. They must have been the Plegian spies. Unfortunately they were winning. She was furious with herself for not noticing sooner. She had been too focused on the Risen to pay attention to her own troops.

Pyrrha leveled her lance and charged into the fray. She hit a Plegian in the chest with the tip of her blade and the weapon penetrated his armor, his body, and his armor again as it burst from his back. As she slid to a stop and wrenched her blade free, she was attacked by two more spies. She deflected one's sword with her shield before taking to the sky to avoid the other. A powerful blast of wind stuck Pyrrha and her Pegasus. Rider and mount were slammed into the stone wall of a nearby building. Both slammed to the ground with the Pegasus landing unconscious atop Pyrrha.

A trio of Plegians rushed toward Pyrrha. She struggled to roll the heavy animal off of her as they closed in. She was not going to get free in time. She threw her lance and it struck one of the Plegians in the throat. The two others continued their charge. They got to Pyrrha at roughly the same time. With a swipe of her shield she blocked both their attacks simultaneously. One tripped off balance and Pyrrha grabbed his wrist. She twisted him to the ground and held him up as a human shield to take the other Plegian's second strike. The Plegian fell limp with a gaping wound in his chest. Surprised by Pyrrha's strategy the last remaining Plegian jumped back. He held his sword at the ready, looking for an opening. The Countess was clearly still very dangerous, even pinned on the ground as she was. Pyrrha reached out her hand toward the Plegian. The Plegian did not understand. He realized she was not pointing at him, but beyond him. He turned around just in time to catch Pyrrha's flying lance in the center of his chest. It tore cleanly through him and flew to Pyrrha's hand.

The battle looked to be over. The mage that had knocked Pyrrha and her Pegasus out of the sky had been despatched by some of her soldiers and they had the situation well in hand. She used her shield as a lever to roll the Pegasus off of her and stood. Pyrrha was bruised but otherwise unhurt. Her Pegasus was in similar shape and would soon recover. Now the focus had to be on saving what remained of the village. The fires had to be extinguished as soon as possible.

Pyrrha went back to commanding, directing the surviving soldiers and town watch in fighting the fires. "Report from the western wall." A soldier said from behind Pyrrha.

Funny, no one called it that. And he did not sound familiar. Pyrrha turned around and immediately knew the soldier was a Plegian infiltrator. She raised her shield and effortlessly blocked the attacker's strike. She kicked the Plegian in the side and he rolled to the ground. Pyrrha lifted her spear to kill the attacker but something about him caught her attention. He was not looking at Pyrrha or the lance that was about to end his life. He was looking behind her. Pyrrha spun around but was not fast enough. All she could do was twist her body so the strike would miss her vitals. A hooded figure was already upon her, dagger in motion. The blade stabbed through Pyrrha's torso to the right of her navel, cutting through her armor as if it were paper before slicing into her skin. Undeterred, Pyrrha swung her lance around at the attacker. Her weapon hit its mark, slicing through the assassin's throat. The Plegian fell dead, leaving her dagger behind. Pyrrha pulled the weapon out with a sickening slurp and tossed it on the ground.

Qrow had arrived with reinforcements just as Pyrrha was being attacked. His soldiers executed the Plegian she had knocked down and formed a circle around her to guard her. "You're injured Countess, should we call a cleric?" One of the soldiers asked.

"I'm fine." Pyrrha said. "Just get me a staff. I'll take care of this myself." She expected another attack at any moment but it never came.

* * *

"...so I healed myself then came here to tend to the wounded." Pyrrha wrapped up her story. "So far we have seventy-two confirmed dead and over one hundred wounded." She sighed. "These people trusted me, I was supposed to protect them, and I failed."

"You did everything you could." Ruby said. "You couldn't have known all this would happen."

"Ruby's right." Weiss said. "Given the circumstances, you did very well. In your absence the entire village may have been wiped out."

"I guess…" Pyrrha said, less than convinced. "What happened to the Risen?"

"We wiped them out." Yang said.

"I crushed them!" Nora exclaimed.

"At least that's taken care of." Pyrrha said.

Qrow approached the group. "You did well Countess." Qrow said. "A lesser leader would have cracked under this kind of pressure."

"That's very kind of you to say, but I don't feel very good about my performance." Pyrrha said. "So many casualties…so much destruction…"

"Don't dwell on it." Qrow said. "It'll destroy you."

"We took care of the Risen Uncle Qrow." Ruby reported.

"Good job kiddo." Qrow said, half-ignoring her. "I'm heading for the capital immediately. I'll leave behind all the soldiers under my command to help you guard the county."

"You should take some with you." Pyrrha suggested. "The roads aren't safe."

"There isn't a highwayman out there who can touch me." Qrow said. "You'll need them more than I will. I'll be back with reinforcements, soon I hope." Something caught his eye. A large crystal hung around Weiss' neck. "Hey Princess, where'd you get that necklace?"

"I suggest you show me some respect." Weiss growled.

"Just answer the question." Qrow said. "I'll show you respect when you actually rule something."

Weiss wanted to stab Qrow but now was not the time. When she actually ruled something she would get him back for the slight. "Taiyang Xiao-Long presented it to me as a gift when I took Yang into my service." She answered. "He allowed his daughters to enter my service only under the condition that I wear it at all times."

"Did he say why?" Qrow asked.

"No." Weiss replied. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Nope." Qrow said. He turned away from her, clearly done with the conversation. "I know you'll do a great job while I'm gone." He said to Pyrrha. He turned to his nieces. "Try to stay out of trouble you two."

"Be safe!" Ruby shouted as Qrow departed. He waved without turning to face her and continued on his way.

Now Weiss was curious. "Yang, do you know anything about this necklace?" She asked.

"Not a thing Your Majesty." Yang replied. "Dad always carried the crystal around with him but he never told me why. It's probably just a good luck charm. He's pretty superstitious."

"Yeah, that's probably it." Weiss said. Her distraction was brief. "Alright then. There are fires to put out and wounded to heal. Let's get to it!"


	7. Training

Chapter 7

Qrow was quick enough to get to capital Ylisstol in a day or two. Unfortunately the return trip would take up to a week if he was leading an army of reinforcements. Until he returned, all the group could do was wait. Of course they would not spend the time just lounging around. Weiss' initial inclination was to help in the rebuilding efforts, but the villagers and soldiers had that well in hand. With her forces concentrated, Pyrrha had enough soldiers to halt a full-scale invasion, but spies who had infiltrated Plegia indicated that nothing was in the offing. There was the occasional Risen attack but the beefed up border guard easily handled them. The soldiers were rotated frequently, moving from the border, to Nikopolis as guards or working on rebuilding, and even some R&R at headquarters.

That left Weiss and her group without purpose. Even Pyrrha found herself intolerably idle as her subordinates handled things just as they had in her absence. They eventually decided that training was the best thing to do. The group may not have anything to do at the moment, but soon they would and they needed to be ready for the coming war.

Weiss and Blake spent most of their time practicing their swordsmanship with weighted wooden swords. Weiss had hoped the training sessions would get Blake to open up about herself but she was a tough one to crack. Whenever Weiss asked a leading question she was punished with a particularly powerful and frantic assault. With her skill Weiss was still mostly untouchable, but having to fight off Blake's more tenacious assaults effectively ended any conversation, for a time at least.

For the safety of everyone involved, Yang, Nora and Ren only practiced on dummies. Well, they practiced on dummies for a while. The targets could simply not survive the powerful assaults launched by the trio. Yang shifted into training with Weiss and Blake, though they insisted she lose the gauntlets and replace them with weights on her wrists. Weiss and Blake could stand up to the punishment, well if Yang could hit them. Yang had plenty of hitting power but Weiss and Blake were elusive and she had trouble even landing a blow. Nora moved on to the destruction of some nearby rock outcrops. Ren practiced his magic by using it to reconstruct the rocks Nora crushed.

Pyrrha had promised to teach Ruby how to use a bow and ride horses. Pyrrha was not one to break her promises and set about teaching Ruby to shoot. Ruby insisted on using Nidhogg rather than a training bow. Pyrrha was nervous about putting such a powerful weapon in the hands of a novice, but her fears proved to be unfounded. Ruby was a natural. In just a few hours she was almost as skilled as her teacher. Perhaps the sacred nature of the bow made it easier to wield. Whatever the reason, Ruby was easily the equal of any archer in the county. She was not quite a tournament quality archer, but combined with her scythe skills she was an incredible warrior. Pyrrha was thoroughly impressed. She decided the serious archery training was complete by the end of the first day, so the following day they would focus on horseback riding.

* * *

In the morning Pyrrha took Ruby to the stables. She would teach Ruby how to ride while getting work done. Pyrrha had to ride out to check on the forces protecting the border and Nikopolis, and she wanted to see how the village was recovering. "Well Ruby, pick a horse." Pyrrha said. She made a sweeping gesture with her arm toward the half a dozen horses lined up in their individual stalls.

"This one's pretty." Ruby said as she approached a brown horse. She reached out to pet it and it tried to bite her. Ruby quickly drew her hand back. "Maybe not this one." She walked up to the next stall where a white horse was waiting. It did not attempt to bite her, but it did kick and struggle against her as she tried to put a saddle on it.

"I don't think that horse is in a good mood today." Pyrrha observed. "Part of being a good rider is finding the right horse. Sometimes the fastest, strongest or best looking horse isn't the right one."

"What about this one?" Ruby asked as she walked up to a black horse with a white belly. It calmly stood there as she put a saddle on it. Ruby leapt into the saddle and the horse barely reacted. "Good?"

"Very good choice." Pyrrha said. She had spent enough time with horses and her Pegasus to get a feel for the animals' moods. "I think Zwei likes you."

"Zwei huh?" Ruby said. "Alright Zwei, let's go, take it easy." The horse walked slowly out of the stables, following Ruby's directions with a calm and obedience she had never experienced in a horse. She waited as Pyrrha mounted her Pegasus.

"Ready?" Pyrrha asked. "Comfortable?"

"Yeah." Ruby confirmed.

"Good, let's head out." Pyrrha led the way, walking her Pegasus down the path toward the manor's gate. Ruby and her horse followed.

"I've never had a horse that listened to me before." Ruby said. "It's always like I'm fighting them. They usually win."

"It's nothing to worry about." Pyrrha said. "Some horses can be very difficult, even for an experienced rider like myself." She increased the pace, bringing her Pegasus to a trot. Ruby and Zwei matched her speed as the pair cleared the gate and joined the road that led to Nikopolis. As they rode toward the village Pyrrha had to repeatedly pull her Pegasus back into line as it became distracted by animals and potential food on the sides of the road. Zwei did not require such attention, obediently continuing straight on as Ruby commanded.

"Your Pegasus doesn't seem so easy to handle." Ruby observed.

"Most aren't." Pyrrha explained. "I grew up with this one. I've known it since it was a baby and I've been riding it since I was a child. If someone else tried to ride it, it would probably try to kill him."

"That sounds hard to deal with." Ruby said.

"It is, but it's worth it." Pyrrha said. "Being able to take to the air adds a valuable extra dimension to my fighting abilities. Even on the ground it's faster, stronger and more agile than most horses. There's a trade-off that you get with a Pegasus and a horse. The better it is for combat, the harder to control it tends to be. Some are so much trouble it isn't worth it. I think you found a good one with Zwei though. He's not very fast but he's strong, and he's easy to handle."

They soon arrived at Nikopolis. After a quick tour to see how things were going, Pyrrha took an official report from the commander of the village's defenses and made some changes to the troop dispositions. Then it was off to the border. Ruby had done very well riding to Nikopolis. After feeding the horses Pyrrha decided to really challenge her student. Instead of taking the main road to the largest border post, she chose a winding, mountain path. She set off in front of Ruby and signaled her Pegasus to canter ahead. The faster pace and the difficult trail were a challenge even for Pyrrha. After riding on for a little bit, she looked back to see Ruby right there with her. Her horse was pushing hard to keep up but more importantly it was listening to her. Under such stress some horses would rebel against their riders, throwing them or refusing to follow commands. Ruby and her horse were both looking fatigued, but they pressed on after Pyrrha.

Soon the border post was in sight. Pyrrha stopped short and Ruby's horse slid to a stop just before a collision. "How are you doing?" Pyrrha asked.

"Fine." Ruby huffed. "It's a little tiring. I think I'm a little bruised up too."

"You'll get used to it." Pyrrha laughed. She seemed as fresh as when they had departed the manor. "See the border post?" Pyrrha pointed ahead. At the far end of a large, open field was a small stone building that protruded up over a wooden palisade.

"I see it." Ruby confirmed.

"We're going to gallop there, as fast as our mounts will go." Pyrrha said.

"Zwei seems pretty tired." Ruby warned. "And his rider's tired too."

"Come on, it's part of the training for both of you." Pyrrha encouraged.

"Alright, just give me…" Ruby started.

"Let's go!" Pyrrha shouted. She kicked the side of her Pegasus and it galloped away toward the border post.

Ruby sighed. "Alright Zwei, let's do it!" She shouted just before similarly kicking the horse. Ruby held on tight as the horse reared up and neighed. As soon as its front hooves hit the ground it sprinted ahead after Pyrrha and her Pegasus.

Pyrrha knew Ruby had no hope of keeping up if she continued ahead at full speed. She kept her Pegasus going just fast enough to stay in front of Ruby as Zwei struggled to gallop as fast as he could. Ruby was determined to catch up and kept encouraging Zwei to go faster, Zwei responded by pushing himself harder. Pyrrha was surprised when she had to pick up her pace to stay ahead and barely beat Ruby to the border post. She pulled up to a stop, her Pegasus barely fatigued. Zwei slid to a stop, winded and exhausted. Ruby was so tired and beaten up by the rough ride that she almost fell out of the saddle.

"How...how was that?" Ruby asked breathlessly.

"Very good, very good!" Pyrrha enthused. "I'm very impressed by you and your horse. You make a great team."

"Really?" Ruby took a deep breath. "Cool."

"You're a natural, just like with the bow." Pyrrha continued. "You just needed to find the right horse."

"So, will you teach me to ride a Pegasus?" Ruby asked.

"Maybe when the war's over." Pyrrha said, knowing that even then it was probably a bad idea. "It's a much more difficult process. Just finding a Pegasus is time consuming and expensive, and it'll be worse now since there's a war and they're in demand."

"Oh, alright." Ruby sighed. "I guess riding Zwei is already pretty awesome."

* * *

After inspecting the troops and giving an inspirational speech, Pyrrha led Ruby back to the manor. The ride home was much slower and easier than the ride out. They took the main road all the way and Ruby set a gentle pace. That was good, because the training was not over. Once back at the manor Pyrrha set about instructing Ruby in various maneuvers that would aid her in combat. Ruby and Zwei continued to be an excellent team and soon Pyrrha moved them on to weapons training. Without a good training equivalent of a scythe Ruby used Crescent Rose. It was a bit rough on the training dummies but they were sturdy enough. More importantly Ruby was a natural at that too.

"Hey Pyrrha, I want to try something." Ruby said after a few hours of training.

"What did you have in mind?" Pyrrha asked.

"Let's have a race." Ruby suggested.

"That would hardly be fair." Pyrrha said. "I suppose I could give you a headstart."

"No, straight up." Ruby insisted. "Come on, let's do it."

"Alright." Pyrrha shrugged. She lined up her Pegasus beside Ruby and Zwei. "First around that tree and back." Ruby nodded. "You start us."

"Ready...go!" Ruby shouted. Zwei took off at full speed but Pyrrha and her Pegasus effortlessly pulled away. Ruby was not surprised but she had an idea. Her weapon could make her super-fast. Maybe it could do the same for her horse. Pyrrha's Pegasus rounded the tree while Ruby was only about halfway there. Ruby concentrated and the blade of her scythe took on a faint red glow. Suddenly everything was a blur as horse and ride rocketed forward. Ruby whipped around the tree and surged past Pyrrha to easily win the race. As Zwei slid to a stop the glow of Crescent Rose's blade faded away. "It worked! Awesome!" Ruby exclaimed.

"That's...incredible." Pyrrha gasped. "You got him to go faster than a race horse."

"This is so cool." Ruby said. "Me and Zwei are going to make a great team. Right Zwei?" The horse neighed in approval.

* * *

While Pyrrha and Ruby were training together, Weiss and Yang were sparring. They were still using training weapons like the day before. It was Weiss and a weighted wooden sword against Yang with her knuckles taped and weights attached to her wrists. They spent a few hours doing simple training exercises. One would be a fake opponent for the other, then they would trade off. After a while they took a break and did some general exercise before heading back to the ring for more sparring.

"What's wrong Your Majesty?" Yang asked.

"What are you talking about?" Weiss countered.

"You've barely said a word to me all day." Yang replied. "And at this rate that scowl's going to be permanently etched on your face."

"Don't worry about it." Weiss sighed. "It's not your problem."

"You're my liege." Yang said. "Your problems are my problems. Talk to me. Please."

"I'd rather not." Weiss said.

"How about this?" Yang said. "We'll have a match. If I win, you tell me what's wrong. If you win, well, name it."

"If I win you have to shave your head." Weiss said. "Still want to do this?"

Yang stroked her hair, a pained look on her face. The confidence with which she had challenged Weiss was suddenly gone. She flicked her hair back and took a deep breath. "Let's do this." She said. "It's worth risking my hair to try to help you."

Now Weiss felt bad. Yang was really worried about her and she was just being a jerk. Naturally she kept being a jerk to cover up her regret. "You're going to look terrible without hair." Weiss sneered.

"Try me." Yang smiled. "Let's go. Last woman standing"

The pair squared off against one another. Even without their weapons a fight like this could lead to serious injury. Weiss' training sword was not sharp but it was an effective bludgeon, and even without her gauntlets Yang's punches were very hard. They circled each other, looking for any opening. Both knew the other well, every little trick, every tactic. There were going to be few if any surprises. Weiss was confident that her skill would be enough to overcome Yang's brute strength. For her part, Yang believed the opposite.

The stalemate broke and the pair rushed at each other. Yang pulled up short and jumped back as Weiss stabbed forward for her chest. Weiss thrust forward again, and this time Yang side-stepped the attack. She was now inside stabbing range and she unleashed a punch for Weiss' head. Weiss ducked back, then spun around, slamming the sword into the side of Yang's head. Yang stumbled but got an arm up to block as Weiss attempted to repeat the attack. She lunged at Weiss but Weiss stepped back, just out of range, and smacked Yang on the knee with the wooden sword. Yang's knee buckled and she dropped a hand to the ground to stay on her feet. Weiss lifted her sword over her head and brought it crashing down toward the top of Yang's head.

The blow would have been enough to finish Yang off but Yang had been expecting it. She reached up and caught the blade. She may have been getting her ass kicked but she still knew all of Weiss' moves. Yang had one move she knew Weiss would not expect. Yang pulled on the sword and twisted, yanking Weiss toward her. Not only were they too close together for Weiss' sword to be effective, they were too close for Yang to launch an effective punch. She had no intention of doing so. The pair ended up face to face, locked together as Yang grabbed Weiss' other wrist. Weiss grunted but could not break free. She tried to headbutt Yang but Yang was in control of the position and leaned her head back, just out of reach. Then she did something shocking. She planted a kiss on Weiss' cheek and let go.

"Wha...what was that?!" Weiss demanded, completely forgetting about the fight.

Yang winked and laughed. She lunged forward, grabbed Weiss behind the legs, and pulled. Weiss slammed down on her back. "Looks like I win princess." Yang said with a smile.

Weiss lay there with her eyes wide and her mouth agape for a moment. Then her eyes narrowed and her lips tightened into a scowl. The shift from shock to anger was almost instant. Weiss jumped to her feet. "What the hell was that?!" Weiss demanded. "How dare you!" She stomped over to Yang, getting in her face as much as possible despite the height difference. "Unbelievable! Using such deplorable tactics against your own liege!"

"You never said I couldn't do that." Yang shrugged. "You should have said something beforehand. Now, I won that fight fair and square. You have to tell me what's bugging you."

"Right now you are!" Weiss shouted. "And that was hardly 'fair and square.'"

"Just tell me." Yang said.

They stared into each other's eyes. Weiss could see that Yang was not going to budge. Yang could see that Weiss was about to break. A smile crept across Yang's face. Weiss broke off the staring contest with a huff. "Fine." She sighed. "This might be a shock to you, but the last few days haven't been great for me. I lost my mother, I lost my home, my father wants me dead, and there's a huge war that's engulfing the whole world. I think it would be more surprising if I wasn't feeling a bit down."

"Of course, but you've been worse since we got here." Yang said. "Come on, tell me what's really bothering you."

"We came here, to a place full of innocent people who have nothing to do with my father's war." Weiss said. "Before the day was out, there's an attack and dozens of those innocent people are killed. It could just be a coincidence, but I can't help but feel like this is our fault. Plegia could have attacked any point along the border, but they attacked the very place we went."

"You can't blame yourself." Yang said. "Your father is the one to blame."

"I know he's evil, he's a monster." Weiss said. "But if I'd stayed in Chon'sin and accepted my death, Nikopolis might not have been attacked."

"If you'd stayed in Chon'sin and accepted your death, there'd be no one to lead the fight against your father." Blake said, seeming to appear from nowhere.

"How long have you been here?" Weiss asked, caught off guard.

"Long enough to know Yang's a good kisser." Blake said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "Look, I don't like you. You're a Schnee, and you've been ruling the land I've spent my life exiled from. You're a symbol of all the injustice that has been done to Chon'sin."

"Thanks for the pep talk." Weiss groaned.

"But, even I have to admit you're different." Blake continued. "It would be so much simpler if you were a monster like your father, but you're not. You're a good person and a just leader. If you were ruling in your father's place, maybe Chon'sin would get the justice it deserves. Or maybe you'd be a tyrant too. No one could be as corrupt and cruel as your father, but you are his daughter. That said, you're my best hope. You're the world's best hope. If Ferox and Ylisse are able to deal with Plegia and work together to fight your father, they might, _might_ , be able to stop him. Even if they did, there's no way they could launch a successful invasion of Valm. That is unless they had local help. You could be the standard that the resistance to your father's rule rallies around. You can turn the people of Valm against him. If he had to fight a major rebellion, and fight against Ylisse and Ferox, it might just be enough to stop him."

"What if it's not?" Weiss asked.

"Then the world is doomed." Blake said. "Your father will build up his forces and invade again and again until he succeeds in conquering the world."

"That doesn't exactly inspire confidence." Weiss sighed.

"With a little luck we can do this." Blake said. "First we need to knock Plegia out of the war, then we need to defeat your father's invasion, and then we need to stir up a rebellion in Valm."

"When you put it like that it sounds almost easy." Yang said with her own dose of sarcasm.

"We're going to do it." Weiss said. "I know it."

"Princess?" Yang gasped.

"Blake's right." Weiss said. "I can turn Chon'sin against my father. I can convince my sister to turn Rosanne against him as well. With help from Ferox and Ylisse, we'll be unstoppable."

"That's the spirit." Blake said. "Now we just need to figure out how to defeat Plegia before your father shows up."

"I have some ideas about that." Weiss said. "When Qrow returns I'll discuss them with him. Hopefully he and the Exalt will see the wisdom of my strategy."


	8. Friends

Chapter 8

Ruby had somehow managed to master archery and horseback riding in just two days, but she insisted that Pyrrha continue to instruct her. Pyrrha had very little left to teach Ruby, but there was one skill she could pass on, even if she had not quite mastered it herself. She asked Ruby to head out to an archery training field with Zwei and her bow. After Ruby had been waiting there for a few minutes Pyrrha arrived astride a breathtaking white horse. It was strange to see Pyrrha riding a mount other than her Pegasus.

"That horse is beautiful." Ruby said.

"Thank you." Pyrrha said. "It's the finest warhorse I own." She rode up beside Ruby and passed her a quiver full of training arrows before sliding her own bow off her back. "Let's try some horse archery."

"I could barely ride a horse or shoot a bow three days ago." Ruby said. "Now you want me to do both at the same time?"

"I think you're up for it." Pyrrha said.

"If you think so." Ruby said. "By the way, why aren't you riding your Pegasus?"

"He's a little skittish around arrows." Pyrrha replied. "In flight a Pegasus and its rider are very vulnerable against archers, and my Pegasus has learned to fear them."

"Won't he get jealous that you're riding something else?" Ruby asked. "I heard they could be pretty possessive of their riders."

"He'll get over it." Pyrrha shrugged. "I'm sure he'll forget all about it if I feed him a few treats." Pyrrha turned her horse and headed off toward the edge of the field. "Enough talk. Let's get down to business. Ride past the targets at a trot and shoot."

"How can I control my horse while I've got both hands on my bow?" Ruby asked.

"Use your knees." Pyrrha answered. "You'll get a feel for it." Pyrrha set off down the line. _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ She hit all three targets, not bullseyes but close.

"Here we go Zwei." Ruby said. She followed Pyrrha past the targets. _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Two out of three.

"Very good for your first pass." Pyrrha said. She circled around. "Again!" _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit. Ruby circled around behind her. _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit, but all just barely. "Remember, the motion of your horse will change the flight of the arrow." Pyrrha circled around. "Again!" _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit.

Ruby circled around. This time she aimed a bit behind where she normally would to compensate for her motion. _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit, all much closer to the center. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." She said.

"Good." Pyrrha said as she circled around. "Again!" _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit, all bullseyes. Ruby followed. _Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!_ Hit, hit, hit, one bullseye and two close to it. "Very good. Now at a gallop!"

* * *

Ruby and Pyrrha shot at the targets for a few hours. Once Ruby got the hang of a distance or speed, Pyrrha would back them up or change the pace. Without warning she would change their riding direction and Ruby would have to readjust on the fly. She struggled at first but by the time they were finished she was regularly nailing bullseyes at a full gallop from the maximum distance the range could accommodate. Ruby's hands were blistered from shooting and her thighs were sore from riding. She was ready to call it a day. Pyrrha had one more exercise in mind.

"I can't believe how quickly you've picked this up." Pyrrha said.

"It's only because I had such a good teacher." Ruby said.

"Stop that, I'm not that great." Pyrrha said. "You're just a fantastic student. Now, for one last test." Pyrrha handed Ruby a full quiver of training arrows. "I'm your target and you're mine."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Ruby asked.

"No, but if I hit you it's going to hurt." Pyrrha replied. "Besides, there's no better option for practice on moving targets." Pyrrha started to trot her horse away. "First hit wins. Stay on the training field. Oh, and keep moving. If you stand still I will hit you." Pyrrha brought her horse to a halt at the far end of the field. "Go!"

Ruby and Pyrrha took off, circling around the perimeter of the field. Once their horses were at a stable pace and got the idea of what their riders wanted, the pair began firing. Ruby's first few shots were wildly inaccurate. She now had to adjust for her motion and Pyrrha's. Pyrrha's arrows were much closer to their target, slicing through the air so close to Ruby she could almost feel the air coming off them. Pyrrha kept just missing as Ruby got closer and closer to hitting her. One of Ruby's shots passed between Pyrrha's arm and her horse. At this rate Pyrrha was going to lose. She lowered her bow and took the reins. She sharply turned her horse around and charged toward Ruby on a diagonal. The sudden change in range caused Ruby to miss badly for a few shots. Pyrrha took up her bow again, aiming carefully. Ruby fired and the shot passed over Pyrrha's shoulder just as she released her arrow. The blunted arrow flew true and nailed Ruby in the forehead, sending her tumbling off her horse. Ruby slammed to the ground, rolled a few times and finally came to a rest face-down.

Pyrrha rushed to Ruby's side and leapt off her horse. Zwei circled back around, looking at his downed rider with concern. "I'm so sorry!" Pyrrha cried, her voice shaky with worry. She knelt beside Ruby. "Are you alright?"

"Ow." Ruby groaned. She started to roll over and Pyrrha helped her onto her back then propped Ruby up against her knees. Ruby's eyes were unfocused. She was probably concussed.

"Ruby, are you hurt?" Pyrrha asked. She could not see any obvious injuries except the growing red bulge on Ruby's forehead.

"Oh, hey Pyrrha." Ruby said weakly. "You're pretty."

"Ruby?" Pyrrha said as she began blushing.

"Where am I?" Ruby asked. "What happened?"

"We're on the training field." Pyrrha replied. "We were practicing and you took an arrow to the head then fell off your horse."

"Oh, that's why my head hurts." Ruby groaned.

"I'm really sorry." Pyrrha said.

"Don't worry about it." Ruby said. "Training with you is worth it."

"It's nice of you to say that." Pyrrha said. "I should really get you to a healer. Can you stand?"

"Nope." Ruby said.

Pyrrha looked around. There was no one nearby. "I guess I'll have to carry you." She said. She sat Ruby up before standing, then picked her up. Pyrrha draped Ruby over her shoulders and headed back toward the manor. Pyrrha felt like the bumpy ride aboard a horse would be bad for Ruby's injuries. "How are you doing?"

"This is fun." Ruby said. "It reminds me of when Yang carried me around when I was a kid."

"I mean physically." Pyrrha said. "What hurts?"

"Just my head." Ruby replied.

"Your uncle isn't going to be happy with me when he hears about this." Pyrrha sighed.

"Why?" Ruby asked. "It's not your fault. We were practicing and I got hit."

"I shot the arrow." Pyrrha said. "Of course it's my fault."

"Nah, it's fine." Ruby said. "Training accidents happen all the time. You have no idea how many jaws Yang's broken."

"As long as you're not mad at me." Pyrrha said.

"How could I be mad at you?" Ruby asked. "You've been using your time to teach me. You're so generous and talented and awesome."

"And pretty apparently." Pyrrha added.

"Huh?" Ruby said.

"Earlier, you said I was pretty." Pyrrha said.

"Did I?" Ruby asked. "I don't remember that. I guess I hit my head harder than I thought. You are pretty though."

"Thank you?" Pyrrha said.

"Why are you carrying me?" Ruby asked.

"You said you couldn't walk." Pyrrha reminded Ruby.

"Oh, well, I think I'm good now." Ruby said. "I don't even remember saying that."

Pyrrha let Ruby down onto her feet. As soon as Pyrrha let go Ruby started to wobble and Pyrrha had to grab her arm to keep her upright. Pyrrha bent down and put Ruby's arm over her shoulder to keep her stable. The conversation ended as Ruby had to use all her focus just to keep walking. Together they made it back to the manor where a cleric attended to Ruby.

* * *

"Is Ruby okay?" Yang asked as she rushed to the infirmary.

Pyrrha put a finger over her lips. "Keep it down, she's sleeping." Pyrrha whispered. "She's fine. She just hit her head."

"How did that happen?" Yang asked.

"I hit her in the forehead with a training arrow and she fell off her horse." Pyrrha groaned. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Yang said. "At least you didn't break her jaw." Yang sighed. "That was a tough one to explain to dad."

"You broke her jaw?" Pyrrha asked.

"I did." Yang admitted. "I guess I don't know my own strength. I break a lot of jaws. I once killed a man in a tournament."

"Wow, remind me to never piss you off." Pyrrha said.

"That's why I'm a bit surprised you were able to take all that punishment when we fought in Ferox." Yang said. "You blocked a lot of the shots but I'm sure I got in some solid hits."

"I'm just tough I guess." Pyrrha said.

"You're more than that…" Yang said.

"Anyway, I've been meaning to talk to you about our match." Pyrrha said, cutting off Yang before she could say something inappropriate. "Why didn't you yield when I had you beat? You said you'd rather die. Are you that prideful? Do you have a deathwish?"

"No, nothing like that." Yang laughed. "I was just looking for an opening. I figured you wouldn't be able to bring yourself to kill me. If I got you thinking about it you might even let your guard down. It didn't work out but it was worth a shot."

"How did you know I wouldn't kill you?" Pyrrha asked.

"The stories I've heard about you told of a paragon of virtue, a knight in the service of justice." Yang said.

"What if those stories were mistaken?" Pyrrha pressed.

"I can think of worse ways to die than straddled by a beautiful woman." Yang said with a wink.

"You never stop, do you?" Pyrrha sighed. "Weiss would not be happy if she heard you speaking like that."

"She's not here." Yang shrugged.

"Yang!" Weiss shouted.

Yang spun around. "Oh, hey Your Majesty." She gasped. "What's...what's going on?" Yang braced herself for another serious berating.

"Is your sister alright?" Weiss asked with deep concern in her voice. "I came as soon as I heard she was hurt."

Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Weiss was already mad enough at her because of the kiss incident. "She'll be fine." Yang said. "She just hit her head."

"Oh, thank goodness." Weiss said.

"I'll stay here to keep an eye on Ruby." Pyrrha said. "Her injury is my fault and I feel bad."

"If you want to." Weiss said. "And I'll take Yang away so she stops hitting on you."

"But I…" Yang started. "Okay, I was a little. Sorry."

"I apologize, Countess, she can't help herself." Weiss said. "I'll have to think up a suitable punishment to correct that." Yang groaned.

"Don't be too hard on her." Pyrrha said as Yang and Weiss walked away.

* * *

Weiss did indeed find a suitable punishment for Yang. First she forced Yang to wear her full suit of plate armor. Even in the mild climate of the area it was uncomfortably hot. Then Weiss took it a step further. Blake failed to show up to train so Weiss decided to use Yang as a practice dummy. It was bad enough for Yang to face Weiss when she could fight back or defend herself. Now Weiss insisted she stand perfectly still as she was battered with a weighted training sword. After a while Weiss even swapped out her training sword for Myrtenaster and hit Yang with magic. It was nothing that would do permanent damage but the prolonged discomfort was enough to drive the point home. Yang was never going to stop hitting on pretty girls, but she was going to be much more careful to make sure Weiss was not around when she did it.

After "training" Yang went for a walk. She had hoped exploring the manor grounds would help take her mind off the lingering aches but it did not. The scenery was still quite nice with plenty of trees and colorful flowers, and it was a nice way to relax. Yang considered picking some flowers to bring back as an apology to Weiss but decided Pyrrha's gardeners would not be happy with her if she did so. The path narrowed with trees on both sides as Yang continued on. After a few minutes the trees ended and the path spilled into a large open area with a small pond at its center.

Blake was kneeling beside the pond not far away. Her eyes were closed and she was still except for the gentle motion of her breathing. As Yang approached she seemed to take no notice. Yang walked right up behind her and briefly considered giving Blake a shove into the water. Yang thought better of it, deciding that she liked being alive. In the end she just stood there. "What do you want Yang?" Blake asked after a minute or so. Her irritation was clear.

"Nothing really." Yang replied. "I was just wondering what you were doing."

"Meditating." Blake said.

"Seems pretty boring." Yang observed.

"That's the point." Blake said. "Having no distractions helps me clear my thoughts and focus my mind. There's no point in being physically prepared for a fight if I'm not mentally prepared."

"Were you just sitting here all day?" Yang asked.

"Of course not." Blake replied. "I have other exercises to sharpen my mind. I did some writing and some reading."

"What did you write?" Yang asked.

Blake sighed, growing weary of all the questions. "Poetry." She answered. "The beauty of this place is inspiring. I fear I was unable to properly put it into words."

"What did you read?" Yang asked.

"Uh...a treatise on military strategy." Blake lied. She was not going to say smut.

"Wow, that makes meditation sound exciting." Yang laughed. "Come on back to the manor. Let's spar. I'm sure Weiss would like the challenge too."

"I don't care what Weiss wants." Blake said. "I'm not her friend. I'm only here to help stop her father."

"You can drop the act around me." Yang said. "You're starting to like her aren't you? Admit it. I promise I won't tell a soul."

"What would give you an insane idea like that?" Blake asked.

"Well, you did give her that little pep talk." Yang said. "Your motivational speaking needs work, but it was a good effort. If you were just using her as you insist you wouldn't have had to do that."

"I need to ensure she's working toward our goal." Blake said.

"You already know she is." Yang said. "Her life is on the line here. There's no greater motivation. And she's got revenge to push her too. Her father not only tried to have her killed, he killed her mother. Of course she's working toward stopping him. What your speech provided wasn't motivation, it was encouragement."

"I'll admit that she's not as bad as I was expecting." Blake relented. "But she's still a Schnee. I don't trust her. I can't trust her."

"I understand that her father's evil and all, but what does that even have to do with her?" Yang asked. "She's her own person. She's a just ruler."

"A just ruler of a land that isn't hers." Blake snapped. "To see her ruling over my patrimony…"

"Your patrimony?" Yang asked. "What does that mean? Who are you exactly?"

"I've already said too much." Blake sighed. "Can't we just drop this whole thing? I don't like Weiss and I don't like you. I…"

"Well I like you." Yang said. "You're a skilled warrior, you have a strong sense of justice and you're quite the looker."

"Do I have to tell Weiss you were hitting on me?" Blake threatened.

"Do I have to tell her what you let slip?" Yang countered. "You put up a tough exterior but I can tell that somewhere in there you're a kind and loving person. If you weren't, you wouldn't have risked your life to save Weiss back in Chon'sin. You wouldn't be here helping us now."

"You don't know anything about me!" Blake shouted. "You couldn't possibly understand me!"

"So tell me." Yang said. "Help me understand."

"Why won't you just drop it?" Blake asked.

"We're allies." Yang said. "I'd like to be friends. I think…"

"I don't want to be your friend." Blake said. "I don't want to be anybody's friend."

"Blake, I'm sorry if I…" Yang started.

"I've had enough." Blake declared. "I'm leaving." She grabbed her things and rushed off. Rather than taking the path she cut through the thickest part of the surrounding forest.

Yang knew there was no way she could keep up. "That could have gone better." She sighed to herself. She spent a few minutes relaxing beside the pond. The conversation with Blake had gone badly but that did not mean she could not enjoy the scenery. The sun was beginning to set and the sky was rich with reds and yellows. As it finally dipped below the horizon and the reds gave way to the blackness of night, Yang decided it was time to head back.

* * *

"And where were you?" Weiss asked when Yang returned.

"I went for a walk around the grounds." Yang replied.

"Do you have anything to do with the mood Blake's in?" Weiss pressed.

"We had a conversation." Yang answered. "It went poorly."

"Were you hitting on her or something?" Weiss groaned.

"No, I was just trying to encourage her to be more friendly." Yang said. "I at least wanted her to admit she doesn't hate you as much as she says. I think she wants to hate you, but she can't square her mental image of what a Schnee is with the person you actually are."

"Is that so?" Weiss said. "If what Pyrrha said about her is true, she has good reason to hate me and my family."

"And what did Pyrrha say?" Yang asked.

"Pyrrha says some people think she's descended from Chon'sin's old royal family." Weiss replied. "I have no idea if it's true or not."

"She said something about you ruling her patrimony, so true or not she believes it." Yang said. "That could make things complicated."

"You have no idea." Weiss sighed. "That's something I'll have to settle with her."

"I'll be there if you need my help with anything." Yang said. "I hope it doesn't get ugly, but I won't let anything happen to you if it does."

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." Weiss said.


	9. Love and War

**Author's Note:** Comments are always appreciated. Help me become a better writer so I can better entertain you!

* * *

Chapter 9

Pyrrha awoke, got dressed and ate a quick breakfast before heading out. She intended to visit Nikopolis to check on the rebuilding efforts. When she arrived at the stables to collect her Pegasus, Ruby was already there preparing Zwei for another day of riding. "Ready to train?" Ruby asked when she spotted Pyrrha.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Pyrrha asked. "You were just injured pretty badly."

"I feel fine and the cleric said I'm good to go!" Ruby exclaimed. "What are we going to practice today?"

"Ruby, I'm not sure we should train together anymore." Pyrrha said.

"Why?" Ruby asked. "Is it because you're afraid of hurting me again? It happens, you don't have to worry about it. I'm tough."

"No, that's not it." Pyrrha said.

"Oh no, did I do something wrong?" Ruby asked.

"It's nothing like that." Pyrrha replied. "I just don't know what else I can teach you. You picked up everything so quickly. Right now you need a true master to train you. A specialist in cavalry tactics lives nearby. I can summon him…"

"But I want to train with you." Ruby complained. "You're so nice and helpful, and even when it's hard you make it really fun. Besides, there's not a master out there more talented than you. You're great at everything! You're pretty much perfect."

"That's very nice of you to say, but I'm far from perfect." Pyrrha sighed. "I've still got a lot to learn myself. I really think you would be better off training with a professional."

"But I really want to spend more time with you." Ruby begged. "Please keep training with me."

Pyrrha was beginning to suspect there was more to the situation than just training. "Ruby, what's this really about?" She asked. "Is this even about me teaching you?"

"Well yeah...but...uh...I guess that's not all." Ruby admitted. "The truth is I...uh...no, I shouldn't say anything."

"It's too late for that now." Pyrrha said. "Just tell me. Whatever it is, I promise I won't be mad."

"I'm not worried about you being mad...it's just…" Ruby started. "I don't really know how you'll react."

"Just say it." Pyrrha insisted.

"Well...I like you...a lot." Ruby said.

"I'm guessing you don't mean that strictly platonically." Pyrrha said.

"It's just that you're so perfect!" Ruby exclaimed. "You're like a hero out of the storybooks, a valiant and invincible knight, a selfless defender of the innocent, a warrior in the fight against evil. You're the person I always wanted to be." Ruby paused. "And you're really pretty."

"I...um...I…" Pyrrha stammered. She was used to high praise but somehow this felt different.

"Did I make it weird?" Ruby asked. "I really hope I didn't make it weird."

"No, it's alright...I...um…" Pyrrha continued to struggle. "I was wholly unprepared for this. I may be a skilled warrior, but you may have noticed that I'm not great in social situations."

"Well, neither am I." Ruby said. "I was too nervous to just tell you, so I thought maybe if we spent time together it would work out naturally. And I did learn a lot from you too, and not just about riding horses or shooting bows. You've shown me what it really means to be a knight. I thought it was all fighting bad guys, but there's so much more to it. The way you care about your subjects...you're like an angel."

"I'm really not that great." Pyrrha insisted.

"And you're modest too!" Ruby countered. She sighed. "But I guess you're not interested in me."

"That's not...I…" Pyrrha struggled for words. "I never really considered it. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to this sort of thing. Maybe we should just keep going and see what happens."

"Does that mean we can keep training together?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, of course." Pyrrha laughed.

"Awesome!" Ruby yelled as she literally jumped for joy.

* * *

Weiss decided to take a day off from serious training. After a day of being nothing but a target dummy, Yang decided she needed to train anyway. Without an opponent she set about battering a heavy bag. Even hitting it barehanded, Yang's powerful strikes threatened to burst the sack of sand. She became vaguely aware that someone else had entered the room. She turned her head to see Blake. "Do you have a moment?" Blake asked.

Yang took a deep breath, reared back and struck the bag with all her might. One of the seams burst and sand showered the floor. "What do you want?" Yang grunted.

"I actually came to apologize for yesterday." Blake replied.

Yang cracked her knuckles. Blake found the way she was carrying herself vaguely threatening. "I don't really care." Yang said. "You made it pretty clear where you stand."

"I...said some things I shouldn't have." Blake continued. "I don't dislike you, and honestly, I don't particularly dislike Weiss, not anymore. We still have business to settle, but that doesn't mean we can't be civil. And I'm sorry I said you couldn't understand me. If anyone can, it's you."

"Why's that?" Yang asked.

"We're both stuck in the middle of the Chon'sin/Schnee conflict because of our families." Blake said. "My parents died because of it, and I was left to carry on the fight. Your mother left because your father took the other side."

"What do you know about my mother?" Yang asked. She was suddenly very interested in what Blake had to say.

"I've met her." Blake replied. "Some of the other exiles filled me in on her story."

"You've met her!" Yang gasped. "Do you know where she is?"

"No, no one does." Blake answered. "In Ferox she would come and go as she pleased. Then she was involved in some...unsavory dealings and forced to leave for good. I met her once years ago. I don't think meeting her would be a good idea anyway. She was very zealous about destroying the Schnees. I don't think she cares who rules Chon'sin, as long as it's not them. Since you're working with Weiss, you're her enemy. Her enemies have a tendency to turn up dead. I can see the difference between Weiss and her father, but your mother can't. To her every Schnee is a monster that must be exterminated."

"I still want to meet her." Yang said. "I have so many questions."

"I don't doubt that." Blake said.

"Do you know…" Yang trailed off before building up the courage to ask the question. "Do you know if she killed Ruby's mother?"

"That's the rumor." Blake said. "It's said she killed Summer because it would be more painful than death for your father."

"I don't want to believe it...but…" Yang sighed.

"You don't have to believe it." Blake encouraged. "It's just a rumor. The exiles tell plenty of stories like that, and a lot of them aren't true. Honestly, she or one of her allies could have come up with it to intimidate her enemies."

"I thought the exiles were her allies." Yang said.

"They were." Blake said. "But she was too extreme for them. Sure, they want their kingdom back, but they want to at least try to get it peacefully. Even an honorable war would be preferable to her tactics. She proposed we attempt to assassinate every Schnee and Schnee ally until they were all dead or Chon'sin was given its independence. When most of the exiles refused to even consider it, she split off with some of the other more ruthless exiles. She arranged the murders of a few of the exile leaders she didn't like, then took off. Adam, the man who tried to assassinate Weiss, was one of her followers."

"How did you end up with him?" Yang asked.

"When I was younger he taught me how to fight." Blake replied. "We were friends and he was my mentor...maybe more than that. When your mother and her faction broke away, the leading exiles wanted to know what they were up to, just in case they planned to murder more of us. Since I was connected with Adam, I was tasked with infiltrating the group to find out what they had planned. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance. Almost as soon as I arrived Adam took me with him to kill Weiss. I couldn't just let him do it, especially after I found out he was working under orders from the emperor."

"So my mother's working with the emperor?" Yang asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"I don't think she is." Blake said. "The orders were addressed directly to Adam. I think he was working on his own. My guess is he was happy to kill any Schnee, even if it was in service to another. He's probably just waiting for an opportunity to turn on the emperor. After all, the closer he gets, the easier it will be to stab him in the back."

"I doubt the emperor's so stupid he wouldn't know that." Yang said.

"I agree." Blake said. "Adam's being played whether he knows it or not. I suspect he does and hopes to spring his trap before the emperor springs his own."

"Why tell me all this?" Yang asked. "Yesterday you ran off when I tried to get to know you better."

"I recognize that I was wrong." Blake answered. "We're allies. If we're on friendly terms, we'll be more effective."

"Maybe you should have a chat with Weiss too." Yang suggested.

"No...I don't think I'm ready for that just yet." Blake said. "And don't tell her a word of what we discussed here. If you do, I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Friendly allies, that's what we are." Yang said, her words dripping with sarcasm. "If you weren't so attractive…"

"Stop or I'm telling Weiss." Blake groaned.

"Fine." Yang said, holding her hands up in surrender. "I don't need to spend another day as a target dummy."

* * *

"Way to go sis!" Yang enthused. "Your first girlfriend, and what a girlfriend! I've got to admit, I'm more than a little jealous."

"Saying I'm her girlfriend might be a little premature." Ruby admitted. "We're kind of just seeing where this goes."

"I'm not sure either of us have a very good grasp on the whole relationship thing." Pyrrha said. "I was certainly surprised by the revelation."

"Really?" Yang said. "I thought it was pretty obvious that Ruby had a crush on you."

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well, she always wanted to hang around with you, and she kept staring at you." Yang explained.

"I thought she just wanted to learn, and that she was studying my form." Pyrrha said.

"She was studying your form alright." Yang teased.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled. "You're making me sound like you!"

"Is that such a bad thing?" Yang asked.

"When it comes to romance, yes, yes it is." Ruby replied. "You come on way too strong and you've never had a real girlfriend or boyfriend."

"I've had plenty!" Yang protested.

"You've had plenty of casual sex." Ruby accused.

"Is that what you think I do?" Yang asked. "I'm hurt. That's not who I am at all."

"You certainly give the impression that that's exactly who you are." Ruby said. "Why do you think Weiss is always getting mad with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with flirting." Yang said. "If I see someone's who's hot, I'm going to say so. It doesn't mean there's anything more to it. Besides, Weiss is just being all proper and stuffy."

"I'm being what?!" Weiss demanded.

To Yang, Weiss seemed to have a talent for appearing out of nowhere at the worst possible moments. "Oh no." Yang groaned. "I didn't mean…"

"Before I pass judgement, give me some context." Weiss sighed.

"Well I...Ruby…" Yang stammered.

"Yang and I were having an argument." Ruby said.

"What about?" Weiss asked.

"Ruby accused me of whoring around!" Yang shouted.

"I did not!" Ruby protested.

"Pyrrha, what happened?" Weiss asked.

"Ruby accused Yang of being overly flirty, thus giving the impression of being easy." Pyrrha explained in what was probably the most proper way possible. "Ruby gave your frequent admonitions as evidence for her position, and Yang disputed the validity of the argument."

"By saying I was stuffy?" Weiss asked.

"Yes." Pyrrha confirmed. "Proper and stuffy."

Weiss thought for a moment. "Ruby, do you think I'm overly proper or stuffy?" Weiss asked. Ruby squirmed. "Tell the truth. I won't hold it against you. You have my word."

"Yang definitely goes overboard but you could probably lighten up a little sometimes." Ruby said, her voice shaking. "Please don't punish me!"

"I already promised I wouldn't." Weiss said. "Pyrrha, what do you think?"

"I think your actions are perfectly befitting of your station, Your Majesty." Pyrrha replied.

"Then I suppose I should lighten up." Weiss said. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and Yang was so surprised she almost fell over. "Right now I'm not the ruler of anything. The only position I still hold is royal princess, but given my current position as a rebel, I should distance myself from that as well."

"So I'm not in trouble?" Yang dared to ask.

"Not this time." Weiss replied. "But seriously, tone down the flirting."

"Never gonna' happen." Yang said.

"I know." Weiss sighed. "I know. So what were you even talking about that started the argument?"

"Pyrrha and Ruby are dating now." Yang replied.

"We're not really dating." Ruby said. "We haven't been on a date."

"So you're girlfriends?" Weiss asked.

"That might be too strong a word." Pyrrha answered. "We might be but we're sort of just seeing how things turn out." Ruby nodded her agreement.

"Gods you two are cute." Weiss laughed. "Two people who don't know how normal human interaction works. You're perfect for each other."

"I'm a little insulted." Pyrrha said.

"Just accept it, you said you never even had a friend until a few days ago." Ruby said. "We're both hopeless."

* * *

Nora had gotten a little overzealous with her hammer and managed to turn a small storage shed on Pyrrha's property into a collection of splinters. Ren used his magic to help piece it back together. Nora had a tendency to be accidentally destructive and Ren usually ended up dealing with the aftermath. He was soft spoken but had something of a talent for apologies, and his magic came in handy for literally picking up the pieces. Nora would apologize profusely for causing him trouble, but he did not really mind.

Once the shed had been repaired, Ren set off in search of Nora. She had wandered off, putting some distance between her and the destruction left in her wake. He found her sitting on the trunk of a felled tree at the edge of some woods. She had not knocked it down, it was in far too few pieces for that. The sun was just beginning to set and she stared in wonder as the sky came alive with vibrant reds and yellows. Ren sat beside her.

"Hey Ren." Nora said. "Sorry about that. I hope they're not mad at me."

"Don't worry about it." Ren said. "Everything's fixed and nobody's angry at you."

"Well that's a relief." Nora said. "I like it here. I don't want us to get kicked out."

"We're not going to get kicked out." Ren assured her. "Pyrrha's our friend, and as long as she's in charge we don't have to worry."

"I guess." Nora sighed.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked.

"With me?" Nora asked. "Nothing! I'm perfectly happy!"

"You might be able to fool everyone else but you can't fool me." Ren said. "You haven't been yourself."

"I'm fine, really!" Nora protested.

"Nora, please tell me." Ren implored. "I'm worried about you."

Nora sighed. "I just...what if we never find a home?" She said.

"Weiss promised she would find us a place." Ren said. "I trust her to follow through."

"But that'll only work if she wins." Nora said. "If she can't beat her father she won't have anything either."

"If she can't beat her father I suspect not having a home will be the least of our problems." Ren said.

Nora hung her head. "That doesn't exactly help." Nora sighed. "We've got nothing."

"We've got each other." Ren said. "We've got our friends. That's something."

"What if they don't stay our friends?" Nora asked. "I thought the people back in Ferox were our friends, but as soon as the general was gone they all turned on us."

"This isn't the same." Ren said. "Our new friends are different."

"What if they're not?" Nora pressed. "What if they turn on us too?"

"Even if they do I'll never turn on you." Ren said. "I promise."

"Maybe that's good enough." Nora said. She smiled. "Thanks Ren."

* * *

Just before midday Ruby and Pyrrha were training together again. This time Weiss decided to join them. While Ruby and Pyrrha fired training arrows at her, Weiss knocked them out of the sky with ice. Every so often Pyrrha or Ruby would charge and attempt a melee strike with a training sword and Weiss would have to deflect their strikes while the other continued peppering her with arrows. Weiss was almost impossible to hit. Even when in close combat she was able to keep up her situational awareness to dodge or deflect the arrows.

A messenger rode up and approached Pyrrha. "An army approaches from Ylisstol." The messenger reported. "Qrow rides at its head."

"Gods he moves fast." Pyrrha said. "With these reinforcements the county will be secure enough to allow us to travel to the capital to meet with the Exalt."

"The army does not appear to be coming to defend the county." The messenger said. "It's very large and brings siege machines."

"The Exalt is already launching a counter invasion of Plegia?" Weiss said. "That's audacious."

"I don't know about the Exalt, but Qrow's not one to wait around." Pyrrha said. "This is good. The sooner Plegia is dealt with, the more time Ylisse will have to prepare its forces to help Ferox counter your father's invasion. You should gather the rest of our allies. I'm sure whatever Qrow and the Exalt have planned includes us."

"Ruby, get your sister, Blake, Ren and Nora." Weiss commanded. "Pyrrha and I will ride out to meet the army. You're all to join us."

"Yes Your Majesty!" Ruby said. She rode off toward the manor as fast as Zwei would carry her.

"We could just wait for the army here or at Nikopolis." Pyrrha suggested.

"No, whatever Qrow and the Exalt intend to do, I have plans of my own." Weiss said. "We'll need to move fast. Every second counts."

"What do you have in mind?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'll present my strategy to you and Qrow when we meet with the army." Weiss replied. "The situation calls for bold action."


	10. Strategy

Chapter 10

Still several miles south of Nikopolis, Qrow rode at the head of his army. He was not big on riding but as a general he was expected to lead his forces from horseback. He would need to see and be seen. He was happy with his army. It lacked battlefield experience and many of the soldiers were recent recruits, but the core was a group of hardened, well-trained veterans who had fought as mercenaries in conflicts elsewhere in the world during Ylisse's long period of peace. Those veterans were quickly getting the rookies up to scratch and the army was already a well-disciplined force. Just the march from the capital to Nikopolis proved that. They had basically force-marched the entire way, making the journey in half the time expected, without complaint.

A scout rode up to Qrow. "Countess Pyrrha and Princess Weiss have ridden out to meet you." He reported. "They are followed closely by retainers."

"I guess they're eager to get on with it." Qrow said. "Find a suitable place to make camp." The scout nodded and rode off. The army could probably make it to the village by the end of the day but they would welcome the early rest. Qrow turned to one of his lieutenants. "Move the engineers up in the column. Have them begin work as soon as a site is chosen. And make sure the camp is well fortified. I don't want any surprises."

"Yes sir." The officer said. He began passing along the orders to his own subordinates.

* * *

When Pyrrha and Weiss met Qrow's army it was already in camp. The camp was still in the process of being built, but it was clearly more than what would be constructed during a normal march through friendly territory. Ditches backed by palisades were being set up on the perimeter and sentries were already on guard. It had the feeling of a warzone. Qrow emerged from his large command tent to meet the new arrivals.

"Welcome back Qrow." Pyrrha said. "It's good to see you." She jumped down from her Pegasus and approached.

Qrow bowed in deference to the noble. "The honor's mine." He said.

"I told you to stop being so formal with me." Pyrrha said, a little embarrassed by the display. "If anything I should be bowing to you."

"Nonsense." Qrow said. "I don't have a drop of noble blood in me. I do have more than a little whiskey in me though."

"I don't appreciate being ignored." Weiss said.

"My apologies Princess of nothing." Qrow groaned.

"Qrow, please be civil." Pyrrha said. Weiss gritted her teeth and balled her fists but said nothing. Qrow just shrugged and took a sip from his flask. "It looks like you're constructing a full fortified camp. Why? This is friendly territory."

"Plegia's been acting strangely." Qrow said. "I'm not taking any chances."

"We've noticed that too." Pyrrha said. "My spies have been keeping an eye on their troop dispositions. There's nothing to indicate they're operating nearby though."

"Your spies?" Qrow said. "Care to explain?"

"Nothing too formal." Pyrrha admitted. "A few high-altitude Pegasus riders can tell you a lot though."

"Simple, clever, and effective, well done." Qrow said.

"I learned from the best." Pyrrha said. "Does the Exalt have a plan for our group?"

"He sure does." Qrow said. "He'd like you to act as the vanguard for this army."

"I have a better idea." Weiss said.

"Oh yeah?" Qrow said. "Well, let's head into my tent. I'll show you what the Exalt has planned and then little-miss-amateur-strategist can present her plan."

"It's a good thing my retainers aren't here yet." Weiss seethed. "They would not tolerate these insults."

"Yeah, Yang would give me a good shot." Qrow laughed. "That's why I have to get it all out of my system before she gets here. How often do I get the opportunity to cut a princess down to size? You're awfully short by the way."

Weiss stepped forward with her hand on the pommel of her blade. Pyrrha stepped between her and Qrow. "Okay now, let's all calm down." Pyrrha said. "We're on the same side here. Qrow, I know you're having fun but try to tone it down a bit."

"Yes countess." Qrow sighed.

* * *

Once the rest of Weiss' entourage arrived it was time to talk strategy. Yang brought along some maps Weiss had been working with and the entire group crowded around the table inside Qrow's command tent. "Can someone please tell me why your whole group is here?" Qrow groaned. "This is a security nightmare."

"The reason for my presence is obvious, as is Pyrrha's." Weiss said. "Yang is my Master of Soldiers and Ruby is Master of Horse. They are my most trusted advisors. Blake seems to have a better grasp of the situation than anyone. Ren and Nora both have local knowledge of northern Plegia and their insights are potentially valuable."

"Fair enough." Qrow sighed. None of his subordinates were privy to the meeting. "I guess I'll start." He unrolled a map and laid it out on the table. It showed the entire continent, along with troop dispositions for Ylisse, Plegia and Ferox. "The Exalt plans to launch a three-pronged invasion of Plegia. Duke Port will invade from the south, Duke Oobleck in the center, and this army from the north. Khan James will lead an army from western Ferox in support of our operation. All four armies are to converge on the Plegian capital. Right now the Plegian armies are all in defensive positions, blocking the routes there. There are smaller forces closer to the border, mostly mages summoning Risen, with a few soldiers to protect them. Each one of our armies is larger than the entire Plegian military, but they have strong positions and their troops are more experienced. Still, with sustained pressure we should be able to break through. Once past their main line of defense, the only troops left are the king's elite guards, protecting him in the capital. They won't be able to stand up to a full army. The king might flee but once we have the capital it'll effectively be over."

"That'll take too long." Weiss said. "My father's army will land long before you defeat Plegia. What we need is a fast strike, a coup de main."

"I suppose you have an idea then?" Qrow asked.

"I do." Weiss said. She laid a similar map over Qrow's. Plegia's troop positions were marked on it, along with most of the roads through the country. "Here." Weiss said. She pointed to a dotted line that wound through the mountains, cutting between two of the Plegian armies. "This path is too small for a full army, but a small elite force - namely my retainers and I - could slip through, bypass all resistance, and be in the capital before they know what's happening. Then we capture or kill the king."

"Why do you think that will work?" Qrow asked.

"Because every war between Ylisse and Plegia, dating back hundreds of years, has ended when the Plegian king was captured or killed." Weiss replied. "If he surrenders, the nation surrenders with him. If he dies, the survivors will be too busy fighting over the throne to fight against us."

"Interesting." Qrow said.

"Not bad for an amateur huh?" Weiss said.

"Not bad, but there is one problem." Qrow said. "What about the king's elite guards? They're guarding him in the capital. Even if you manage to sneak past the field armies you still have to deal with them."

"They won't be an issue." Weiss said. "You say they're elite but that's not the case. They were chosen for loyalty to the king, not battlefield prowess. They might be well trained and equipped, but they've never seen combat. They're bodyguards, not soldiers. We're all trained warriors. We'll shred them."

"You've never seen combat either." Qrow reminded her. "Not real combat. Your tournaments and that little skirmish with the Risen don't count."

"I've seen real combat." Pyrrha said. "In Ferox and in Nikopolis while they were dealing with the Risen. And I've seen them train. I'm confident in our abilities. Factoring in the element of surprise, we have a distinct advantage." She paused for a moment. "The real question is, do your orders from the Exalt allow for our plan?"

"They do." Qrow confirmed. "I was to suggest your participation in our plan, but I cannot force you to join us. I'm also not permitted to stop you from taking the actions you see fit, so long as they don't interfere with his wider strategy."

"Then it's decided." Weiss said. "We'll move with the army, split of and use the pass to outflank the main Plegian forces, and eliminate the king."

"I'm in agreement." Pyrrha said.

"Who will lead the defense of Nikopolis in your absence Countess?" Qrow asked. He was clearly not sold on the plan.

"I have many talented subordinates." Pyrrha replied. "Besides, based on their dispositions, it's unlikely they'll mount any sort of attack."

"And what if you're spotted before reaching the capital?" Qrow pressed. "If your spies can locate their troops, theirs can locate you."

"The path is heavily forested." Weiss answered. "They would need to be on the ground to find us, and with Pyrrha's mobility we could eliminate any patrols before they could sound the alarm. Once past the main line of defenses, it becomes irrelevant anyway. We can move faster than any forces that can stop us."

"Countess, are you fully committed to this plan?" Qrow asked.

"I am." Pyrrha confirmed.

"Then you have my blessing." Qrow sighed. "It's audacious but if anyone can pull it off, it's you and my nieces. I'm sure Nora and Ren will be useful too."

"And their liege." Weiss added.

"Yeah, sure, you too." Qrow said, rolling his eyes.

"Why can't you treat me with any respect?" Weiss demanded.

"Think about who you're talking to." Qrow snapped. "Think about who my sister is. Think about where I come from."

"Yang and Ruby have the same connections but we get along." Weiss countered. "Blake is an exile just like you and your sister, but at least we can be civil."

"I wonder if my nieces would feel the same way if they knew the truth." Qrow said.

"What truth?" Weiss asked. "What does that even mean?"

"Forget it." Qrow said. "Right now we need your little group if we're going to stop your father. I really hope your plan works. You're certainly right about one thing, we need to knock Plegia out of this war fast. If we don't this whole operation will just be a waste of time." He turned to Pyrrha. "Countess, keep my nieces safe."

"They're my retainers and I'll see to their well being." Weiss said. "You have my word."

"A Schnee's word." Qrow said under his breath. He closed his eyes and shook his head before taking a long drink from his flask. "I genuinely hope you're not like your father."

"She's not." Yang said. "She's a good person."

"I wish I could be so confident." Qrow groaned. He bent over and put his hands down flat on the table, staring straight downward. "Your plan's approved so you can go. This army begins its invasion in two days. We'll break through their advanced forces and that should give you the opening you need to make it to your target undetected." Weiss' group started to file out. "Yang, Ruby, could I speak to the two of you privately?"

Yang and Ruby stayed behind while the others left. Qrow remained hunched over the table for a while after everyone else had left. "Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

Qrow took a deep breath. "I'm fine." He said. He stood up with a smile on his face. "So, how have you kids been. We didn't have a lot of time to catch up before I had to leave."

"Considering we had to flee our home, fight our way into Ferox, and face another battle as soon as we got here, I don't think we're doing that bad." Yang said. "And if Weiss' plan works we'll have plenty of reason to be optimistic."

"Well that's good." Qrow said. "Getting along with your little group?"

"Blake and I had a bit of a...disagreement, but we worked it out." Yang replied. "Other than that things have been fine."

"How's the princess treating you?" Qrow asked.

"Fine." Yang answered. "We've been training together like usual. She does still punish me for flirting with...well...everyone, but I think she's lightened up a bit."

"How are things for you Ruby?" Qrow asked.

"Really good!" Ruby exclaimed. "Pyrrha taught me how to use a bow and how to ride a horse, and we're dating! Well, maybe dating isn't the word since we haven't technically been on a date but…" Ruby babbled on.

"Congrats kiddo." Qrow said. "At least you found some happiness in the middle of this damn mess. I hope that works out for you." He paused. "Wait a second. I thought you knew how to ride and shoot."

"Yeah, but not well." Ruby said. "Now I'm actually good!"

"Let me guess, you used training as an excuse to hang around with Pyrrha." Qrow accused.

"Yeah, but I really did want to learn too." Ruby protested. "And I found a horse that'll actually listen to me!"

"You're good kid." Qrow said. "You're really good. You two stay safe alright?"

"We'll be fine." Yang assured him.

"I certainly hope so." Qrow sighed.

* * *

The following day Qrow's army moved up to Nikopolis, then to the border, camping just inside friendly territory. The soldiers were restless. The veterans wanted to fight. The newer soldiers were less eager but Qrow's inspirational addresses had them ready. Now they just wanted to do something. Qrow instructed them to clean and polish their weapons and armor. He wanted them to look as confident as they felt. If they looked the part they were more likely to act the part too. Overaweing the enemy could be a valuable tactic as well, and thousands of troops advancing in perfect order, their armor and weapons glinting in the sun, was an intimidating sight. Throw in some solid tactics and strategy and they would be unstoppable.

Weiss' group was not idle either. They too prepared their arms and armor for battle. Weiss sharpened Myrtenaster and reviewed maps of her planned route. Yang polished her armor to a mirror sheen. Blake's sword did not require maintenance, self-sharpening as it was, and she spent her time meditating. After polishing Crescent Rose and grooming Zwei, Ruby collected and carefully packed dozens of arrows. Pyrrha groomed her Pegasus, cleaned her armor, beat a few dents out of her shield, and sharpened her lance. With Ren's help Nora repaired some minor damage to her armor, then polished her hammer. The night before Qrow's army was to invade Plegia they joined it at its camp. From now on they would have to make due with the most basic accommodations. Even a tent would be considered a luxury item, the one luxury they would have, at least at the start. Once their expedition began in earnest, adjustments might be necessary.

The group's tent was not particularly large but it was big enough for them to all sleep within it. It was a bit cramped but certainly better than the alternative of sleeping outside. When the weather was good sleeping under the stars would not be that bad, but if it rained it would be miserable.

Weiss awoke in the middle of the night. When fleeing Chon'sin they had been able to stay in small, out-of-the-way inns. Sleeping aboard the ship from Valm to Plegia had been uncomfortable, but a sleeping bag on the ground was even rougher. Outside she could hear some chatter between the regular soldiers. They sounded confident, though she could not make out exactly what they were saying. She rolled over, hoping it would be more comfortable. Yang was sitting up beside her, wide awake. "Yang, go to sleep." Weiss said. "You need to be well rested."

"And you need to be well guarded." Yang countered. "Qrow said he was worried about Plegian infiltrators. You saw the damage they did in Nikopolis. You'd be target #1 if they got into the camp."

"Much as I hate to give the man any praise, Qrow seems very serious about security." Weiss said. "I don't think we have to worry. Besides, no one is getting to me without stepping on someone. I couldn't ask for a better alarm system."

"We can't afford to take any chances." Yang said. "You're the key to stopping your father. Right Blake? Come on, I know you're awake."

Blake was lying still, looking very much asleep. "We need you alive." Blake whispered. "You're vital to the war effort, just like Yang said."

"Can't the two of you at least take turns?" Weiss asked.

"Go ahead and sleep Yang." Blake said. "I already got an hour or two. That's all I need."

"I don't know…" Yang said.

"If you really want to protect Weiss, you could always take Ruby's approach." Blake suggested. She nodded her head toward where Ruby and Pyrrha were. Ruby was practically wrapped around Pyrrha's back, a preposterously small big spoon.

"Well princess?" Yang asked.

"Don't even think about it." Weiss said. "If I wake up and any part of you is touching me, I'm cutting it off."

"Not a cuddler, fine." Yang laughed.

"Gods would you guys shut up!" Nora said in the loudest whisper in history. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"Nora, quiet." Ren admonished in a much quieter whisper.

"Sorry!" Nora said, again far too loud.

Pyrrha stirred. "Is it morning already?" She asked. "Why am I wearing a backpack?" She reached back, finding the side of Ruby's leg. With a gasp she spun out of Ruby's grip. Ruby somehow remained asleep. "Oh...it's just Ruby…" Pyrrha saw that it was still nighttime, rolled back into place and fell back to sleep as Ruby unconsciously wrapped her up.

"We're the last, best chance to save the world huh?" Yang laughed.

"Yep." Blake said.

"We're doomed." Weiss groaned. She rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep.


	11. Blackbird

Chapter 11

The army was to move at dawn. Shortly before sunrise the officers went around the camp, quietly waking the men. There was no need to make a commotion and alert the enemy that the army was on the move. Qrow made his way to the tent housing Weiss' group. He opened the tent flap and found the entire group sleeping. Well, almost the entire group. Blake's sword whipped from her side and in an instant was pointed at him. When Blake saw it was Qrow she lowered her weapon. "Time to go?" Blake asked. Qrow nodded. "Fine, I'll wake them."

"One thing first." Qrow said. "I don't know what you're doing, teaming up with the princess here. If you're planning to kill her, fine. But if you lay a finger on any of the others, I swear, I will strike you down myself."

"I'm not planning to kill anyone but the emperor." Blake whispered. "So long as Weiss doesn't turn out like her father, she has nothing to fear from me."

"I don't intend to." Weiss said. She sat up, stretched and yawned.

"You're awake?" Blake gasped.

"I've always been a light sleeper." Weiss said. "Qrow, if you could stop trying to turn my allies against me, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"I just want to make sure my nieces are safe." Qrow said. "Now get up. I'm not going to hold up the army to wait for you."

* * *

The army marched on time. They crossed the border with Plegia as the sun peeked over the horizon. Weiss and her group took up a place in the middle of the column. When the army reached the group's detour they would slip away, hopefully unnoticed. The vanguard soon encountered small Plegian patrols, mostly made up of mages there to create Risen to invade Ylisse. Most fled. Those that did not were cut down with ease. After that initial weak resistance, there was hardly a Plegian soldier to be found. The army passed through villages but the locals hid themselves away from the invading army. Qrow had given strict orders that there be no looting or harassment of the locals and those orders were followed.

In late afternoon Qrow halted the army to make camp. With the force in enemy territory he made sure serious defenses were assembled to protect the camp. That meant deeper trenches, higher palisades, and more sentries. Weiss and her group had their tent in the heart of the camp. If any assassin were to reach them, he would have to get past a large chunk of the army undetected to do it. As the sun set a Pegasus rider arrived from the center army. They were on schedule, just as Qrow's army was. They too had encountered little resistance and there was no reason to suspect the southern army had it any harder. All was going according to plan. That worried Qrow. He was experienced enough to know that when things were going perfectly, it usually meant the enemy had something up their sleeve and were just waiting for the right moment to strike. Whatever the Plegians were up to, he was going to be ready.

The army marched again at dawn the following day. Late in the morning they reached the winding path Weiss' group would take to get to the Plegian capital. The bulk of the army marched on as Weiss' group split off. The path was tiny, its entrance to the main road barely visible among the trees that lined the way. The main road was paved with stones but the side path was just dirt and not well kept. It was overgrown with weeds and in many places trees and bushes encroached enough to make it disappear. It was barely wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side and Pyrrha's Pegasus struggled to squeeze through, brushing its wings against the trees and bushes.

Pyrrha's Pegasus was already in a bad mood. It preferred flying to walking, particularly on such rough and uneven ground. Then there was the matter of who was riding it. Pyrrha was at the reins but Ruby rode with her. The animal seemed to dislike Ruby, perhaps jealous of the attention Pyrrha now devoted to her. It had taken a lot of effort on Pyrrha's part to convince the Pegasus to allow Ruby to ride, and as the group continued on Pyrrha had to constantly push the animal to keep going. It was a well-trained beast but like any other Pegasus it could be stubborn and emotional.

With Ruby on Pyrrha's Pegasus, the others took turns riding Zwei, two at a time. The horse was strong and capable of carrying two riders at the same time, though it would be a struggle if the heavily armored Yang and Nora tried to ride together. They did not, with Nora riding with Ren and Yang with Blake. Weiss refused to ride at all. She walked. Her boots did not agree with the uneven ground and the going was difficult and painful, but she was not going to take any shortcuts. She even carried her own supplies. Part of it had to do with inspiring the others. If their leader was willing to suffer, how could they not follow her? Part of it was for herself. She knew she was seen as the fragile princess, raised in luxury. She knew there was some truth to that. Putting herself through the pain of walking was a way to prove to herself that she was tough, a leader worthy of being followed, not some pampered royal. Plus her father rode, and she was going to do anything to differentiate herself from him.

The terrible state of the path showed that it had not been used recently. That was good, even if it did slow their progress. It meant it was very unlikely that there would be anyone guarding it, just as Weiss had hoped. The overgrown nature also made it harder to see the group from the air. It was unlikely that anyone would be looking, but a Plegian aboard a Pegasus or a Wyvern that spotted them could ruin the plan. As the sun began to set the group made camp. It was too risky to have a campfire so their dinner was limited to bread and some fruit they had picked along the way. Their tent was pitched in a hidden spot amongst the trees. The undulating ground made sleeping uncomfortable and difficult, but after a long day they all managed to drift off for at least a few hours.

* * *

After another cold meal the group was off at dawn. If their map was accurate, and they were reading it correctly, they were making good time. They might even reach the capital in just one or two days. Pyrrha's Pegasus was better behaved now, resigned to its new situation. Zwei was still going strong and though her feet ached Weiss was still walking on. As morning gave way to midday Pyrrha and Ruby led the group on the Pegasus. Weiss, Yang and Blake walked behind them with Ren and Nora astride Zwei taking up the rear.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride Weiss?" Pyrrha asked. Ruby had her arms wrapped tightly around Pyrrha's waist but Pyrrha held one of Ruby's wrists. Ruby had been falling asleep and Pyrrha was worried she would fall off.

"I'm sure." Weiss replied. She stumbled awkwardly over a rock but caught herself and kept going. She was not willing to admit it but she was getting tired.

"You really should take a rest." Yang suggested. "When we get there you need to be able to fight. At this rate you'll barely be able to stand."

"I'm fine." Weiss said. She was not.

"Weiss, get on the damn horse." Blake said. "I'm not carrying you if you wear yourself out."

"I'm not either." Yang said. "Sorry Your Majesty, this armor's heavy enough."

"Maybe later." Weiss relented. "I'm still feeling alright." Alright was not an accurate description of her condition, her feet aching and blistered. "Tonight we'll get a good rest anyway." Again assuming the maps were correct and the group was right about where they were, there were some ruins not too far away. They were intact enough to provide a smooth floor to sleep on, and a river nearby would allow them to replenish their water supply and be an opportunity for some proper bathing, something they had done without since the army first crossed the border. Spending the night there would mean stopping early and delaying their arrival at the capital, but the rest would make them more effective when they did get there.

"Weiss, I know you want to be tough and show you're willing to go through the same hardships we are, but you're still human." Yang said. "You need to rest. Besides, we already know you're strong, physically and mentally. You never would have made it this far if you weren't."

"Maybe I need to prove it to myself." Weiss sighed.

"Don't be stupid." Blake said. "You're only hurting yourself and making us less effective as a unit. For what? Pride?"

"You've got a point." Weiss admitted.

Suddenly a swirling black hole, a magic portal, appeared below Weiss. In an instant she disappeared into the blackness. "Weiss!" Yang shouted. She dove in the hole after her, also disappearing. Blake was nearby and dove for the portal but it closed and she only slammed down in the dirt.

"Yang!" Ruby cried.

"What kind of magic?" Pyrrha gasped.

"I've never seen anything like it." Ren said as Nora just stared in disbelief.

"I have." Blake said. "It's short range. They've got to be around here somewhere."

"What was that?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'll explain on the way." Blake replied. "Come on, we need to find them before it's too late."

* * *

For a moment everything went dark as Yang passed through the portal. Then there was a flash of light and before she could react she slammed into the ground on her stomach. The ground was stone or brick. The fall was hard enough to knock the wind out of her and left her briefly disoriented. With still blurry vision she looked up. Weiss lie on her side groaning. With no warning she had not been able to brace against the fall. "Weiss…" Yang said, still trying to catch her breath. She heard footsteps to her right. She turned to look just in time to catch a boot to the face and her world went dark again.

* * *

"What was that magic?" Pyrrha demanded as the group searched the surrounding forest.

"I've only seen one person use it." Blake said.

"Who?" Ruby asked.

"Raven Branwen." Blake replied.

"Yang's mom?" Ruby gasped.

"Yes." Blake confirmed. "We were fighting for Ferox in a battle against Plegia. She used it to grab the Plegian commander from across the battlefield. When the man dropped down in front of her he cut him in half with her sword. The Plegians fled. She had to get pretty close though, between the lines. We've already searched beyond that range and I haven't seen any sign of them."

"Maybe she only did it between the lines so the enemy would see her kill their commander." Ren suggested. "Teleport spells that work on the caster can have a significant range, and that magic just seems to be the reverse. Even Rescue rods have a rather long range, and that magic is very basic."

"She killed the Plegian commander immediately, right?" Nora asked. Blake nodded. "What if she did the same thing to Weiss and Yang?"

Ruby started to cry. "Nora!" Pyrrha shouted. "How could you say such a thing?"

"She raises a good point, but no, I don't think Raven would have done the same thing this time." Blake said. "I doubt she would kill her daughter like that."

"What about Weiss?" Pyrrha asked.

"Weiss...Weiss she would kill." Blake admitted. "But I doubt she would afford her a quick death. For a Schnee...she'd make her feel it. That'll give us time."

"If she wants to torture Weiss she'll need a suitable place to do it." Ren suggested. "The only nearby structures are the ruins just ahead. That's as likely a place as any."

"That seems a bit too obvious but it's all we've got." Blake sighed. "Let's go."

* * *

Yang woke up. She blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision. There was something in her eye. She tried to reach up to wipe it away but her hands were bound. She struggled to move but she was attached to something sturdy, a heavy chair maybe. She blinked hard and her eyes cleared. Directly in front of her, shackled to a metal chair - the sort generally used for torture - was Weiss. Her armor was missing, her skirt was dirty and her face was bruised, but otherwise she was in good enough shape. Weiss was sitting up straight with her eyes closed.

Yang looked down at her own bonds. She was shackled to a similar chair. Yang had also been stripped of her armor but - unlike Weiss who wore quite a lot beneath her armor - was left in just her very skimpy underwear. "Well great." Yang groaned. She looked right and spotted her armor and gauntlets scattered on the floor. "You know, I've had fantasies like this, but most of them are...sexier."

"You never stop, do you?" Weiss asked. She opened her eyes. "I was wondering when you'd wake up. It's about time."

"What happened?" Yang asked.

"We apparently fell through some sort of magic portal." Weiss said. "I lost consciousness. This is how we were when I woke up."

"Any idea who did this to us?" Yang asked.

"Not a clue." Weiss replied. "You see, I told you to wear more under your armor."

"You never stop either, do you?" Yang said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "I don't suppose you know how to pick locks."

"If I could I would have already." Weiss said. "I don't have anything to pick them with anyway. The others had better find us soon or we're going to be in serious trouble."

"Where are we anyway?" Yang asked. She looked around the room. There were windows but they were covered by boards. Torches on the walls provided the only light.

"I don't know." Weiss said. "Maybe those ruins we were heading for? I don't know of any other structures near where we were traveling."

"I'm sure the others will figure it out quick." Yang said.

"Agreed." Weiss said. "Unfortunately, that won't matter if our captors execute us before they can reach us."

There was the sound of a door opening. "I'm not planning on executing anyone." A woman's voice said from behind Yang.

"Our captor I presume." Yang said.

"Much more than that." The woman said. She walked in front of Yang and crouched down, placing her masked face just in front of Yang's. She stared at Yang with burning red eyes.

"Who are you?" Yang asked.

The woman took off her mask and brushed the long black hair away from her face. "I wouldn't expect you to remember me, but I'm sure you can see the resemblance." She said.

"Mom?" Yang gasped. "It can't be."

"It is." Raven said. "I see you've made the same mistake as your father. Serving the Schnees...disgusting."

"Excuse me!" Weiss shouted. "I'm right here!"

Raven stood and turned around. She backhanded Weiss across the face. "Shut up." She commanded. "Schnee scum." Weiss reeled but turned back to face Raven and spit in her face. "At least you've got guts."

"Leave her alone!" Yang demanded. "I don't care if you are my mother, if you hurt her I will kill you."

"A Branwen defending a Schnee...sad." Raven sighed.

"I'm not a Branwen." Yang said. "I'm a Xiao-Long. I don't want anything to do with a monster like you."

"A monster?" Raven said, feigning surprise. "What would make you call me that?"

"You killed Ruby's mother, didn't you?" Yang accused. "Just to hurt dad!"

"Who told you that?" Raven asked. She laughed. "It doesn't matter."

"Did you kill Summer Rose?" Weiss asked.

"I thought I told you to shut up." Raven growled.

"Answer the question!" Yang yelled.

"I don't think you're in any position to be making demands." Raven laughed. "Besides, it won't matter what I say. If I say I did, you'll continue to think me a monster. If I deny it, you'll just think I'm a liar and a monster."

"I just want to know." Yang insisted.

"I'm not responsible for her death." Raven said.

"Then who is?" Weiss asked.

"Why, the one who had the most to gain." Raven replied. She turned and bent down, getting face-to-face with Weiss. "Make of that what you will."

"Why did you capture us?" Yang asked. "What are you planning to do?"

"I only intended to capture that worm." Raven hissed, pointing to Weiss. "I was going to kill her...eventually. I wouldn't want to rush it. Your getting involved does create some interesting possibilities." Raven walked around behind Weiss. She grabbed Weiss by the hair, forced her head forward until her body was pressed against her shackles, the pulled back on her hair, slamming her head into the metal chair.

"I told you to leave her alone!" Yang screamed as she struggled against her shackles.

"Or what?" Raven laughed. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I won't let you kill her!" Yang declared.

"I have no intention of killing her." Raven said with a smirk. "You're going to do it for me."

"I would never." Yang said. "I would rather die."

"You won't have much of a choice." Raven said. "It's in your blood. You are a Branwen after all." Raven reached down into her boot and pulled out a small dagger. She held it to Weiss' face. "What do you say we give her a scar to match this one? I've always been a fan of symmetry."

"Do what you want to me." Weiss said. "Just let Yang go."

"How noble of you." Raven laughed. "But it's time to shut up." She slammed the pommel of the dagger into Weiss' throat. Weiss made a choking sound and coughed violently as her body struggled with the shock impact. "You know Yang, the princess has such pretty pale white skin. I think it would look even better with some red though." She pressed the blade of her dagger to Weiss' cheek, increasing the pressure ever-so-slightly until the razor-sharp blade broke the skin and a trickle of bright red blood started down Weiss' face.

"Stop!" Yang screamed. Her hair lifted into the air in defiance of gravity and flames erupted all around her, consuming what little clothing she was still wearing. An unnatural roar bellowed from her throat as her body was surrounded by blinding light.

"Yes Yang, embrace your anger!" Raven encouraged. "Seize your birthright! Kill the Schnee whore!" The shackles holding Yang to her chair melted away. The blinding light surrounding Yang grew in intensity until a shockwave blasted outward. When the light faded Yang was gone, replaced by a nine foot long dragon. It had hands and feet tipped with claws, a mouth full of huge sharp teeth, and a flaming mane trailing down the back of its neck. "Looks like it's time for me to go." Raven stepped back from Weiss and a portal opened behind her. "Goodbye princess." With a laugh she jumped back through the portal and it closed.


	12. Burning

Chapter 12

The dragon that had been Yang lowered its head, bringing its nostrils close to Weiss as the princess pressed herself back in her chair. "Yang, I know you're still in there." Weiss said. "Come one, it's me, Weiss, your friend." The dragon sniffed her, tilted its head for a moment as if it were confused, then opened its gaping maw and let out a thunderous roar. "Oh gods Yang, please!" Lately Weiss had been forced to face her own mortality more and more often. She had imagined many ways in which she may die. Being eaten by a dragon that had once been her retainer was not one of them.

The dragon chomped its jaws and snarled but was seemingly confused about how to consume Weiss. The metal chair she was tied to was in the way. The dragon pulled back and tilted its head sideways, a much better angle at which to get at her. It slowly moved toward her, mouth open, teeth dripping with saliva. Weiss could feel its hot breath against her face and chest. She closed her eyes and waited for death.

It did not come. Weiss opened her eyes and they were met by a brilliant light. The amulet around her neck was glowing. After having just barely made contact with the stone, the dragon seemed frozen in place. A pulse of energy fired out and the dragon reared back with a roar. Blinding light and flames surrounded the dragon. The dazzling light and flames grew more brilliant until a shockwave blasted outward. When the light faded the dragon was gone. In it's place Yang was left lying on the floor in the fetal position, with not a shred of clothing on her.

Weiss realized that she had not been breathing. She took a deep breath and heaved a sigh of relief. "Of course." She whispered to herself. "A Dragonstone. I'll have to thank Taiyang when I get back." She was still left there, unable to free herself from the shackles. She would just have to wait until Yang woke up.

There was not long to wait. Yang groaned and slowly started to move. She uncurled herself and lie flat on her back. She had a sudden moment of clarity. She looked at Weiss, still affixed to her chair, then down at her own naked body. "Uh...what happened?" Yang asked. "I hope it was as fun as I'm imagining."

"Put some damn clothes on, and get me out of here." Weiss commanded.

"In that order or…" Yang started.

"Shut up and do it." Weiss snapped.

Before Yang could make another move the door exploded into splinters. "We're here to save you!" Nora exclaimed.

Pyrrha, Blake and Ruby burst into the room. "Wow, I was not expecting this." Blake laughed as she looked at the shackled princess and her naked retainer. "You know, if you wanted to fuck you could have just said so. No need to fake a kidnapping. I won't judge you for being into freaky stuff."

"I will." Ruby said, averting her eyes.

"We were kidnapped!" Weiss protested.

"Blake, as much as I like the way you think, Weiss is telling the truth." Yang said. "My mother kidnapped us, stripped us of our armor, and shackled us to these chairs. See the gash on Weiss' cheek?"

"That makes sense, but what happened to your underwear?" Blake said.

"Weiss never got around to telling me." Yang said. "I was unconscious."

"Yang turned into a dragon." Weiss said. Everyone, Yang included, stared at her in disbelief. "I'm telling the truth! She would have killed me but my necklace turned out to be a Dragonstone."

"So that's why dad always carried it." Yang said. "Huh."

"You can turn into a dragon?!" Nora yelled. "Awesome!"

"I'm going to go ahead and stay human from now on." Yang said.

"Uh...Yang...could you please put some clothes on?" Pyrrha asked, her back turned to Yang, her face red with embarrassment.

"Oh...yeah." Yang said. "I'll put my armor back on."

"And someone release me!" Weiss demanded.

"I vote we leave her tied up for a while." Blake said with a wicked grin.

"Whoever releases me gets a Duchy when the war's over." Weiss offered. Ren rushed into the room, sure to keep the still half-naked Yang out of his view, and hurriedly went about undoing Weiss' shackles.

"Yay, we get a Duchy!" Nora cheered.

"Why didn't Raven kill you?" Blake asked. "Judging by that cut and the bruises on your face and neck, she wasn't exactly gentle."

"She wanted me to kill her." Yang said. "She roughed up Weiss until I got pissed, then I don't remember anything else."

"Then Yang turned into a dragon." Weiss said. "Like I said, she would have killed me if not for the Dragonstone."

Yang was once again fully clothed, outfitted in her suit of armor. If it was not for the built-in padding, the chaffing would have been terrible. She walked up to Weiss and wrapped her in a crushing embrace. "I'm so glad you're alright." Yang said. "If I hurt you...I never could have forgiven myself. I love you so much."

"Uh...Yang...did you just say what I think you said?" Blake gasped.

"Aw...cute!" Nora exclaimed.

"Yang...you…" Weiss started. "Uh...well…"

Yang recoiled and pulled back from Weiss. "Oh...no...I...sorry!" She stammered. "I was just caught up in the emotion of the whole thing. It's nothing. Just me speaking before thinking, like usual."

"Yang...do you?" Weiss asked.

"What?" Yang asked.

"Do you love me?" Weiss asked.

"You are my beloved liege, Princess Weiss of Valm, Duchess of Chon'sin." Yang said. "All the land loves you."

"Cut the crap." Weiss demanded.

"Okay, so I kind of have a thing for you." Yang admitted. "Awesome fighter, great leader, incredibly sexy, how could I not? I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Weiss said. "There's no reason to be sorry. You just gave me three compliments, even if one of them was rather vulgar."

"You're not mad?" Yang asked.

"Of course not." Weiss said. "The truth is...I...I...kind of have a thing for you too." There were gasps all around.

"This is so romantic!" Nora squealed.

"Weiss...you do realize you're still bleeding…" Pyrrha said.

"Oh, am I?" Weiss asked. She raised her hand to her cheek and touched the wound. When she drew her hand away it was covered in blood. "I guess I'm going to have another scar."

"I don't care." Yang said. "Scars are sexy."

"I'd rather not have it all the same." Weiss sighed.

"I'll take care of it." Pyrrha said. She rushed out of the room.

"So, you're a Manakete." Blake said to Yang.

"I guess." Yang said, scratching her head. "Partially at least."

"I thought Manaketes aged really slowly." Ruby said. "That's what the stories you used to read me said. They could be thousands of years old and still look young."

"I guess the whole dragon blood thing is really diluted in me." Yang shrugged. "I had no idea. Dad never told me. Even Uncle Qrow never told me. I wish I could have found out in a way that was a little less...terrifying."

"You and me both." Weiss agreed. She took off her necklace. "I guess you should hold onto this now. If you transformed without it you might go on a rampage."

Yang took the Dragonstone necklace and held it in her hands, staring at the subtly glowing stone. She draped it around her neck. "I don't think I'll be transforming anymore." Yang said. "Even if this lets me have some control, I don't want to take the risk."

"We probably shouldn't tell anyone about this either." Ren suggested. "Some people don't look very favorably on Manaketes."

"Or any other shape-shifters for that matter." Blake added. "It's entirely understandable. People fear what they don't understand."

"I wish I could have seen you in dragon form." Ruby said. "You probably looked really awesome."

"She did." Weiss confirmed. "And terrifying. Very terrifying."

"Sorry I turned into a dragon and tried to eat you?" Yang said.

"It worked out in the end." Weiss said. "The whole thing got you to admit how you feel after all. That's a positive."

"Yeah." Yang said with a smile. "What do you think of me now Ruby? Not only do I have a girlfriend, she's a freakin' princess!"

"So, is this why you always get mad at Yang for flirting?" Ruby asked, ignoring Yang. "You're secretly jealous?"

"I guess that's part of it." Weiss admitted. "But it would also be nice if my retainer acted in a way in keeping with her station."

"Never gonna' happen." Yang said.

"I know." Weiss sighed.

Pyrrha returned carrying a staff. "Let me see that wound." She said. Weiss stepped toward her. Pyrrha focused on the wound, spoke a spell and waved the staff. The gash closed instantly. When Weiss wiped away the remaining blood there was no remaining sign of the injury.

"That's incredible." Yang gasped. "You're an amazing healer!"

"She's an amazing everything!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Stop, I'm not that great." Pyrrha said. "Any decent cleric could have done the same thing."

"Maybe, but there's not a cleric in the world who can heal and fight the way you do." Blake said.

"And the best clerics in Chon'sin couldn't prevent this scar." Weiss said as she pointed to the scar over her eye. "You really are something else."

"And she's spoken for!" Ruby declared, tightly wrapping her arms around Pyrrha's arm.

"Chill out sis, we're not trying to steal your girlfriend." Yang laughed.

"I wish I could heal like that." Ren said. "Perhaps you could give me a few lessons."

"But you're a mage." Pyrrha said. "You can't heal?"

"Not in the traditional sense." Ren replied. "I can steal the lifeforce from one person and transfer it into another, effectively healing them or myself for that matter. That sort of thing is generally frowned upon though."

"The next time we have a break I'll see what I can teach you." Pyrrha said.

"Hey, I forgot to ask earlier, but where are we?" Yang asked.

"Oh, we're in those riverside ruins we were headed for." Blake replied. "This is the one castle tower still pretty much intact."

"You know, this wouldn't be a terrible place to spend the night." Yang suggested.

"It could work." Weiss agreed. "I don't think we'll be making much progress today anyway. We all need a rest."

"What if your mom comes back?" Ruby asked. There was a hint of fear in her voice.

"I don't think she will." Yang said. "Besides, there's seven of us and only one of her. Now we're ready for her tricks. We can take her."

"I'd crush her!" Nora shouted.

"If anyone's taking her down it's me." Yang said. "She's going to pay for what she did to Weiss, and for what she tried to do."

"I guess we should start setting up camp." Pyrrha said. "If we work together we can be ready in time for a good dinner."

"That sounds great." Nora said. "The crap we've been eating lately makes me nauseous." Pyrrha and Nora headed outside where Zwei and Pyrrha's Pegasus were carrying their supplies. Ren and Blake followed.

"Yang...can I ask you something?" Ruby asked. She was almost shaking, clearly nervous.

"What is it?" Yang asked.

"Um...did your mom say...uh…" Ruby struggled. "Did you ask her...if she...uh...killed my mom?"

"I asked her." Yang replied. "She said she wasn't responsible. I have no idea what that's supposed to mean."

Ruby sighed and looked relieved. "Did she say who was?" She asked.

"Sort of." Yang replied. "She said it was 'the one who had the most to gain.'"

"Who was that?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know." Yang sighed. "Any idea Weiss?"

"No." Weiss answered. "Sorry."

"The next time we see Qrow we should ask him." Ruby suggested. "I bet he knows more than we do."

* * *

The evening was spent relaxing. After days without anything comparable, bathing in the nearby river was something they all appreciated. The layout of the ruins also allowed the group to build a fire knowing the partially collapsed buildings would disperse and hide the smoke. The group's first hot meal in days was a welcome bonus. Best of all they would not be sleeping in a tent, their sleeping bags on uneven ground. They would get to sleep inside, still on a hard floor, but at least a flat one.

"So princess, now that we're together, how about we try Ruby's method of bodyguarding?" Yang suggested as they settled down to sleep. The pair actually had a room to themselves in the mostly-intact tower.

"Not only would that be impossibly improper, I don't think I'm quite ready for something so...intimate." Weiss replied.

"You saw me naked today." Yang reminded her. "I'm not sure it gets much more intimate."

"I wasn't comfortable with that either." Weiss said.

"Did you not like what you saw?" Yang asked with a sigh.

"That's not it at all." Weiss said. "I'll admit, you are a bit...demoralizing."

"Oh princess, you don't need to have breasts like this to be hot." Yang assured her.

"Stop." Weiss groaned. "Casual nudity is just something I'm not at all accustomed to."

"I was kidnapped, stripped, and had the last remnants of my clothes burned off when I turned into a dragon." Yang laughed. "I'd hardly call that casual nudity."

"No, but it was casual nudity when you were just hanging out in the river with the others." Weiss said. "At least everyone else except Nora had the decency to keep their privates submerged. I'm pretty sure she would have too if she wasn't so excitable."

"It really made you that uncomfortable?" Yang asked. "So that's why you stayed so far away from the rest of us. I thought you were self-conscious."

"I guess I am a little self-conscious." Weiss admitted.

"There's no reason for you to be." Yang said. "You're incredibly beautiful. Your skin is so pale and clear, it's stunning. There's not a blemish on you except your scar. You've got some other great features too." Yang said with a wink.

"You and the other girls just look so...impressive." Weiss said. "Even Ren has a remarkable...physique."

"I can see why Nora likes him so much, that's for sure." Yang laughed. Weiss rolled her eyes "It's a shame he's too dense to see it and she's too scared to say it."

"They'll figure it out eventually." Weiss said. "You and your sister did after all, and you're both just as neurotic."

"I would be insulted...but I tend to agree." Yang said. "We're not the most well-adjusted group, are we?"

"Are you talking about you and your sister, or our group as a whole?" Weiss asked.

"Why not both?" Yang laughed.

"You're not wrong." Weiss said. There was a brief silence. "What do you think about Blake?"

"Blake?" Yang said. "I'm not sure." She knew a bit but had promised not to tell Weiss. "She probably doesn't hate you as much as she seems to." Yang hoped the word 'probably' would save her. "We're on the same side and committed to the same thing, so what does it matter?"

"What if...what if she's just using me in a bid to reclaim Chon'sin?" Weiss asked. "What if we get to a point where she turns on us?"

"I don't think she's so devious." Yang replied. "She seems more concerned with justice and peace than with her claims to the duchy. She definitely doesn't strike me as a murderer."

"What if the time comes when our interests diverge and...I have to turn on her?" Weiss asked.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Yang said. "I can't imagine you ever turning on someone like that. You're not that kind of person. You're not like your father."

"My father wasn't always like he is now." Weiss sighed. "When he first came to the throne, before Chon'sin, even before his first war with Plegia, he was said to have been a kind and just ruler. He went to war with Plegia when they attacked, and the conquest of Chon'sin was a response to a border incident they started. As that war dragged on he got more and more desperate, and more and more brutal. After the war, as he got more powerful, he started to crack down on all desent. Every little rebellion was met with brutal repression. Some peasants came to the capital to peacefully protest the tax rate and he had them executed. There are rumors he started executing anyone he felt threatened by. He was a good person, but power corrupted him. What if it corrupts me too?"

"Don't be stupid." Yang said.

"Excuse me?!" Weiss gasped.

"Sorry, bad phrasing." Yang apologized. "Speaking before I think and all that. The point is you're not going to turn into your father. You're too good a person. You didn't know your father when he was young. He might not have been that nice. There were probably at least signs he could turn bad. In all the years I've known you, you've never done anything to even imply that you have an evil bone in your body. You're probably the kindest person I know."

"I really hope you're right." Weiss sighed. "If I start turning into my father...kill me."

"I'll agree to that because I know I won't have to." Yang said with a gentle smile. "You're always going to be Weiss, the just benevolent ruler, friend of noble and commoner alike. Most of all you're a friend of mine, and I know my friend would never, ever turn evil."

"Yang…" Weiss started. "Thank you."

* * *

Blake stood outside the door as Yang and Weiss talked. Hearing Weiss say those things filled Blake with hope. Maybe the world could be saved after all. Maybe Weiss would be a different sort of ruler. Blake wanted to admit to Weiss that she admired her but she could not bring herself to do it. She had been conditioned that Schnees were evil. All her life it had been an unquestioned fact. Now here was a Schnee who was nothing at all like the ones in the stories she had been told. It was a shock, a pleasant shock, but a shock all the same. Maybe one day she could get over her pride, her stubbornness, and admit that she was wrong about Weiss and maybe even about Schnees in general. Maybe one day she would be strong enough, but that day had yet to arrive.


	13. Regicide

**Author's Note:** Following Chapter 14 I'll be taking a week off from posting this story and post a few chapters of a new on instead. Normal service will resume the following week.

* * *

Chapter 13

Yang woke up to a sharp pain in her left arm. Still groggy, in the twilight between sleep and waking, she tried to flex the offending limb, assuming she had just slept on it wrong. It refused to budge. Something was surrounding it, holding it in place. She held her arm in front of her face and as her vision focused she could see it was encased in ice. "Weiss, why is my arm frozen?" Yang yawned.

"I told you not to touch me while I was sleeping." Weiss said. She was already up and dressing. "Your arm was draped over me when I woke up. I figured amputating it would be a little harsh, so I decided to give you a little warning."

"This is one heck of a warning." Yang said. She slammed her frozen arm against the stone floor but it only chipped the ice. "Would you unfreeze me already?"

"Alright, but only because I like you." Weiss laughed. She tapped Yang's arm with Myrtenaster and the ice disappeared.

"Next time just smack me or something." Yang said. She rubbed her arm until the color and normal feeling started to return. Still looking down at her arm Yang was caught off guard as her chestplate slammed into her head. "Ouch!"

"Stop complaining and get dressed." Weiss commanded. "We need to get going if we want to reach the capital today."

"You were a lot nicer to me before you were my girlfriend." Yang complained as she started putting on her armor.

"Don't worry, I'll make it up to you." Weiss said with a wink.

"Who are you and what have you done with the princess?" Yang said.

"What, I'm not allowed to be flirty?" Weiss asked.

"It's more than a little jarring." Yang replied. "And besides, I thought you were against flirting."

"No, I'm against you flirting with every vaguely attractive person you come across." Weiss said. "I thought you wanted me to lighten up anyway."

"I guess I do." Yang said. She finished fastening her gauntlets, the last of her armor.

"Alright then." Weiss said. "Let's get going."

"After you princess." Yang said.

As Weiss stepped ahead and reached for the door a gauntleted hand clamped around her rear. She drew Myrtenaster and spun around, dragging the blade across Yang's hand. In an instant it was encased in ice. "You never learn, do you?" Weiss laughed.

"Worth it." Yang said. "Now unfreeze me already."

"Not this time." Weiss said. She opened the door and stepped out, leaving Yang standing there with her hand still frozen in a solid block of ice.

"Gods she's sexy." Yang gasped. She slammed her fists together and the ice shattered and fell away.

* * *

The day's march proceeded very much like the previous days' had. Ruby and Pyrrha rode the Pegasus while the others took turns riding Zwei, two at a time. There were a few differences. The group kept closer together in case of another attack, and Weiss did take the opportunity to occasionally ride instead of walking the whole way. The weather was good and the trail began to improve. It was still poorly kept, overgrown with weeds and in some places almost indistinguishable from the surrounding ground, but it was far more level and had fewer obstructions.

The group kept going after nightfall. The forest started to thin and finally ended as the path rejoined one of the main roads to the capital. The city was within sight. The walls that surrounded it were imposing, and the gate facing the group was topped with a statue depicting a snarling dragon, presumably Grima. From a distance the palace was visible, towering over the walls. Somewhere within was their target, the King of Plegia. If he could be captured or killed it could end the war immediately. Infiltrating the enemy capital with a group of seven warriors was a crazy plan, borderline suicidal, but it was their best shot.

The group set up a hide in a copse of trees not far from the city. Now was the time to work out their final plans. "I say we attack immediately." Blake said. "We still have the element of surprise and every moment we wait is one in which we may be discovered."

"We just spent the whole day marching." Ren said. "I would recommend waiting until tomorrow night. We need to be sharp."

"Ren's right." Yang said. "Tonight we can observe the guards, see their patterns, when they change shifts. We need to get past the walls unseen or we won't even make it to the palace."

"But I don't want to wait." Nora complained. "Let's attack now."

"No, we should wait." Pyrrha said. "Haste could get us killed. We only get one shot at this and we need to be as ready as we can be."

"Ruby?" Weiss said.

"Don't ask me." Ruby said, holding up her hands. "You guys know better than me."

"Then it's three to two in favor of waiting." Weiss said. "For the record I would have voted to wait as well. We'll sleep during the day tomorrow and attack after dark."

"Just one problem." Yang said. "How are we going to get over the walls? We don't have any ladders."

"I can ride my Pegasus to the top of the wall and lower a rope." Pyrrha suggested. "We have plenty."

"I don't think I can climb a rope in this armor." Yang said. "I'd bet Nora would be hard pressed too."

"I can help." Ren said. "I can levitate you. The magic's not enough to lift you on its own, but it should make it much easier."

"That might actually work." Yang said. "Wait, why don't we use Pyrrha's Pegasus to ferry us all to the top?"

"That's not going to happen." Pyrrha replied. "He doesn't let just anyone ride him. It took a lot of work just to get him to accept Ruby. And I don't think he can fly with the weight of two riders on his back anyway."

"Ren, will you be able to climb the rope once the rest of us are up on the wall?" Weiss asked.

"It won't be a problem." Ren answered.

"Yeah, Ren's spent a lot of time climbing trees with me!" Nora added.

"Then we have our plan." Weiss said. "Once we're over the wall we get to the palace as fast as possible, hopefully before the Plegians even know we're inside. Then we deal with the king."

"And what will we do with the king?" Blake asked.

"I'd prefer to take him alive." Weiss replied. "If that's not possible, we'll have to kill him."

"What if we're surrounded and can't escape?" Yang asked. "We can probably get in undetected but getting out will be much harder."

"The king will be our bargaining chip." Weiss said. "If things go really wrong we'll barricade ourselves somewhere hold out as long as we can. One of Ylisse's armies will get here eventually. But I really hope it doesn't come to that."

* * *

Qrow had arrived at the Plegian defensive position the day before. Instead of attacking immediately he decided to let his army rest. They had been marching for days and were exhausted. The Plegian position looked formidable. The road ran through a narrow valley between a pair of steep mountains and the Plegians had erected a palisade all the way across the valley floor. Soldiers lined the top of the wall, mostly archers mixed with heavily armored spearmen. Qrow's Pegasus riders reported that the enemy had no reserves, so any successful breakthrough would likely defeat the whole position, but just getting that breakthrough would be incredibly difficult.

Qrow had his army wake before dawn and eat breakfast. Then he had them deploy into battle order. They were split into four parts, the center, two wings, and a reserve force. If a breakthrough was achieved, Qrow would throw in the reserves to exploit it. He had a pretty good idea of where his army would have the most success. To the left of the road, near the junction of the the center and left wing, was a cluster of trees. They would provide good cover from the enemy archers, allowing his soldiers to get close to the wall without being under fire.

Qrow launched the attack just as the sun peeked over the horizon. His army had the added advantage of having the sun at their backs, blinding the defenders. His front ranks were slowed by the Plegian archers. Plegian mages also produced some nasty surprises in the form of magical traps that engulfed his men in fire or ice. Still the army pressed on. Near the cluster of trees the soldiers reached the wall. Qrow's archers kept up a constant fire, forcing the defenders back and troops began to scale the fortification. Once a few made it over the wall, they formed a defensive position of their own, allowing their fellows to begin tearing the wall down. In minutes the breach was several meters wide and Qrow's soldiers began pouring through the gap. He committed his reserves to the fight, knowing there was now no stopping him.

Qrow expected the Plegians to hold on for dear life. Plegian commanders often executed soldiers who fled the field of battle. Even once beaten they would cling to their positions, often fighting to the last man. To Qrow's surprise the Plegian army collapsed as his men breached the wall. Plegian soldiers surrendered in droves while others fled. In less than an hour the battle was over, a resounding victory for Ylisse's forces. Qrow was shocked and suspicious, but his scouts reported that there were no ambushes or any further defensive lines ahead. The road to the capital was open.

It was a risk but Qrow left behind a large chunk of his army. He took his cavalry and lightly armed soldiers and raced ahead. His nieces were heading for the capital on an incredibly dangerous mission, but if he could get there first they would not have to take that risk. He would rather risk his own death than theirs. He would probably not be able to make it to the capital before nightfall, but that would not stop him. He and his small advance force would not stop until they had reached their destination.

* * *

The night of observation had proved valuable. There were few guards atop the city walls. They rarely left their posts to patrol the walls. The group found a spot with a sizable gap between guard posts. As long as the pattern continued and the guards remained stationary, it would be rather easy to slip through unnoticed. Once inside the city it would be easy to reach their destination. All the major roads led directly to the palace. Unfortunately they could not see inside the city from their position outside the walls. Pyrrha tried overflying on her Pegasus but she had to stay high to avoid being detected and was unable to see anything useful. Hopefully it would be as poorly guarded as the walls.

Just after dark they set their plan in motion. Pyrrha flew to the top of the wall, fixed a rope to the crenelations and tossed it down. Weiss, Blake and Ruby quickly scrambled up as Pyrrha set up another rope and lowered it down on the inner side of the walls. Even with Ren's help it was something of a struggle for Yang and Nora to climb up. Yang in particular had difficulty. Not only was her armor quite heavy, her gauntlets did not allow for a very good grip on the rope. Still, she managed to struggle her way to the top just after Nora. Ren followed. By the time he reached the top the others were on their way down the other side. Only Pyrrha and her Pegasus remained atop the walls. Ren untied the rope, wrapped it up and tossed it over his shoulder. They could not afford to leave behind any evidence of their infiltration. Then Ren slid down and into the city. Pyrrha undid that rope, wrapped it up and took it with her as she flew to the ground astride her Pegasus. They were in, and the lack of alarm bells indicated they had made it undetected.

Pyrrha sent her Pegasus away as the group started into the city. The sound of hooves on stone could give them away and the risk was not worth the added combat effectiveness. The streets seemed deserted but the group stuck to the side alleys, winding their way through the maze of streets toward the palace. After an hour of sneaking, they reached their destination. A metal fence was all that separated the palace grounds from the rest of the city, but once past that barrier there would be no cover. They could see no guards, but that did not mean they were not there.

They would need to get through the fence as quickly and quietly as possible. "Light me." Yang said.

"Your girlfriend has the body of a twelve year old." Blake taunted.

"Take that back." Yang growled as her gauntlets burst into flames.

"That felt so good to say." Blake said.

"At some point we're going to have a long talk about showing respect for your liege." Weiss grumbled.

"Sure we are." Blake said.

Yang grabbed the bars of the fence near the top with her flaming gauntlets. The metal turned red hot, then white hot as it started to melt away. Yang then moved her hands to the bottom of the bars, again holding them until the metal softened. Then she took a deep breath and the flames that had engulfed her gauntlets died away. She grabbed the bars near the center and pulled, popping them out with hardly a sound. The group slipped through the gap and crossed the space between the fence and the palace itself in seconds. Still no alarms. No shouts.

They rounded the building, looking for an entry point. They would fight their way in if they had to but it was preferable to remain undetected. Eventually they arrived at the front door. There were no guards posted. A pair of soldiers chatted nearby at the front gate, but they were far enough away that they did not notice the intruders. Hoping against hope Weiss pulled on the door. It opened silently. A quick peek inside revealed no one, so the group entered. They found themselves in a large room with a red carpet running down the center of the floor. The walls were covered in paintings and ornate carvings. Even the ceiling was richly decorated with more artwork. At the far end was a pair of towering gilded doors. If the information they had on the layout of the place was accurate, the throne room was beyond. A little beyond that would be the king's private chambers.

The group moved as quietly as possible to the doors. Nora and Yang each took hold of one, silently counted down, and pushed them open. The throne room was even more ornately adorned than the previous chamber and much better lit with candles and magical lights lining the walls and ceiling. At the far end of the room, at the top of a set of stairs, was the throne. To their surprise, the king was there. A quartet of heavily armed and armored guards flanked him. He looked old, tired and sad, far from the villain the group was expecting.

The guards readied their weapons. "Don't bother." The king said. "The game's up."

"But we're sworn to protect you with our lives." One of the guards protested.

"I've no life left to protect." The king sighed. "Go on and save yourselves. I hope our guests are generous enough to let you go."

"It's been an honor serving you, Your Majesty." One of the other guards said. The quartet bowed in unison and walked away, heading off into a side room.

"I surrender." The king said. "Lead me away in chains, kill me, do whatever you please."

"Why aren't you putting up a fight?" Weiss asked. She was beyond suspicious. "Surely you have more guards. You're a king."

"I'm a king in name only." The king sighed. "I've not wielded any power in a long time. Come on then, do what you will."

"Capture him." Weiss commanded. Yang cautiously approached the king. He stood and turned around, holding his hands behind his back. Yang tied them together and stripped him of his sword.

"Do you want our pity?" Pyrrha asked. Her anger was bubbling just below the surface but she was doing a damn good job of hiding it. "Do you have any idea how many lives your war has taken?"

"My war?" The king said. "No. I couldn't have ordered it if I tried. I'm afraid I'm but a pawn." He looked at Pyrrha. "I can see the rage in your eyes." He tilted his head in curiosity. "Those eyes, I've seen them before." He thought for a moment. "You must be the Countess of Nikopolis."

"I am." Pyrrha confirmed.

"I am truly sorry about your parents." The king said. "It was truly despicable what happened to them."

"What are you talking about?" Pyrrha asked. "They died of plague."

"They did not." The king said. "They were murdered. Cursed. All because they slighted the wrong person."

"Who?" Pyrrha asked. "If what you say is true, and they were murdered, who killed them?"

The king opened his mouth to speak but never got the chance. The towering doors at the entrance to the throne room burst open and a squad of soldiers rushed in. At their head was a woman with a bow. She took aim and fired. Her arrow missed Pyrrha by inches but hit the king in the chest. The man struggled for a moment, his eyes wide with terror, before he went limp and collapsed to the ground.

"Oh no, it seems I've missed my target." The archer said flatly. "What a tragedy." The tone of her voice made it clear that she had been aiming at the king.

Pyrrha knelt at the king's side and felt his neck for a pulse. "He's dead." She reported.

"Did you hear that?" The archer asked. "The king is dead."

The soldiers all around the archer dropped to the floor, prostrating themselves. All at once a cheer rose up. "Long live the queen!"

"I think we've been played." Weiss said.

"I knew it was too easy." Blake groaned. The group readied their weapons, taking positions with the more heavily armored in the front and the less armored in the back. The soldiers accompanying the queen appeared to be well equipped. The group was heavily outnumbered. It looked bad.

"I surrender." The queen said. She tossed her bow aside and held out her hands. "I intend to accept whatever terms the Exalt wishes to impose."

"Who are you?" Weiss asked.

"The Queen of Plegia." The woman said. The soldiers all around her laid down their arms. "You came here to end the war didn't you? Well, I'm giving you what you want. All that remains is for me to sign a formal surrender, which I will do once I've met with the Exalt."

"I don't like this." Yang said. "At all."

"Agreed." Pyrrha said. "Something is very wrong here."

"Unfortunately I don't think we have much of a choice." Weiss said. "Please step forward Queen…"

"Queen Cinder." The woman said with a smirk. "Oh, I do like the sound of that."

"Yang, restrain her." Weiss commanded. "Just in case." Yang approached the queen. Cinder held out her hands, allowing Yang to tie them.

"Thank you for helping me overthrow that awful tyrant." Cinder said. There was no emotion in her voice. "Now our lands can finally be at peace."


	14. Pain

**Author's Note:** Following Chapter 14 I'll be taking a week off from posting this story and post a few chapters of a new on instead. Normal service will resume the following week.

* * *

Chapter 14

"If you don't mind, we're going to take you out of the city." Weiss said to Cinder. "As you might imagine, I don't feel safe here."

"That's fine." Cinder said. "Just so long as my retainers can accompany me."

"How many?" Yang asked.

"Just two." Cinder replied. "Mercury, Emerald." A man and a woman stepped forward. Unlike the rest of the soldiers they had not disarmed. A pair of short swords hung on the woman's back. The man carried no weapons but he had the look of a mage. Even without a tome to focus his magic a mage could likely do some damage.

"They can come if they hand over their weapons." Yang said. "They'll be returned in time."

"Very well." Cinder said. Emerald handed over her blades. The man just stood there watching. He had no obvious weapons but he looked dangerous all the same.

"Move out." Weiss commanded. She did not want to spend a second more in the city than she actually had to.

The group led their captives out of the city via the large central boulevard and main gate. No one attempted to interfere, though the guards from earlier followed at a distance until the group left the city. Once outside they were joined by Zwei and Pyrrha's Pegasus and headed northeast, following the main road toward Nikopolis. They hoped to meet up with Qrow's army. He would have a better idea of what to do next. Ruby offered to let the queen ride Zwei, but the horse shied away from Cinder. It was as if the animal felt the same unease about her that the rest of the group did.

Pyrrha noticed that Cinder had been staring at her. It was unnerving. The smirk on her face only made it worse. "Is there something wrong with me Your Majesty?" Pyrrha finally asked.

"Oh, no, you just remind me of your mother." Cinder said. "You've got her eyes, and her figure."

"You knew my parents?" Pyrrha asked, growing more uneasy by the second.

"Why yes I did." Cinder replied. "I met them when they attended a peace conference in Plegia. Your mother in particular was quite the force to be reckoned with."

"So I'm told." Pyrrha said.

"Unfortunately they failed to show me due respect." Cinder said. "I may have only been the king's niece, but I was still a royal. They got what they deserved though."

"What are you saying?" Pyrrha gasped.

"Nothing really." Cinder answered. "It's just that you would be wise to learn from their mistake, lest you suffer the same fate."

"It was you, wasn't it?" Pyrrha asked. "You murdered them."

"What would give you a crazy idea like that?" Cinder laughed. "They died of a simple illness, punishment from the gods." Now Pyrrha was convinced.

"Cavalry, to our front." Blake warned before the situation between Pyrrha and Cinder could escalate further. It was incredible that Blake could detect the approaching soldiers in the dark. But sure enough, the sound of pounding hooves could soon be heard by all.

The group readied for an attack but the horsemen pulled up short. The man at their head dismounted and removed his helmet. It was Qrow. "Thank the gods you're all alive." He said. "Who are they?"

"The Queen of Plegia and her retainers." Weiss replied.

"Plegia is ruled by a king." Qrow countered.

"The king is dead." Cinder said. "And the Royal Guards have recognized me as the new ruler of Plegia. Pending negotiations with the Exalt, I am willing to suspend all hostilities between our nations."

"She's telling the truth as far as we can tell." Yang said. "Still, the situation makes me uneasy."

"You and me both." Qrow said. "I've never known a Plegian army to evaporate like the one I faced. But this is the hand we've been dealt."

"What do we do now?" Ruby asked.

"I passed a village on my way here." Qrow said. "It's only a few minutes ride away. We'll spend the night there then take the...queen...and head for Ylisstol."

"She...killed my parents." Pyrrha said. She was visibly shaking.

"Do you have any evidence to back up that assertion?" Qrow asked.

"No but...I'm sure." Pyrrha replied.

Qrow looked at Cinder. Her smile told him everything. "I'm sorry kid but now's not the time for revenge." He said. "At the moment we need her so we can end this war." Qrow saw the look in Pyrrha's eyes. It was one he had never seen in her before. There was such fury, such hate. There was clearly a part of her that was ready to kill Cinder on the spot. It pained him to see it. "One day kid, just not today."

Pyrrha drew her weapon. She was still shaking. Ruby grabbed her arm. "Pyrrha, stop." Ruby said. "Please." Pyrrha looked at Ruby. Ruby was afraid. She was afraid not just of what Pyrrha might do, but of Pyrrha herself. Suddenly Pyrrha felt sick. She dropped her weapon and it clattered to the ground. Soon tears were streaming down her face. She dropped to her knees.

"Alright Queen Cinder, let's get going." Qrow ordered.

"Of course." Cinder said. Qrow and his horsemen led the queen away.

Pyrrha remained behind weeping, Ruby at her side. "I'm so sorry." Ruby said.

"No, I'm the one who should apologize." Pyrrha said. "I've let my emotions get out of hand. That monster no doubt got some sick pleasure out of seeing this."

"Pyrrha…" Ruby trailed off.

"I'll have my revenge." Pyrrha vowed. "When the time is right."

* * *

Qrow set up the queen in the most luxurious accommodations the village had to offer. He would just as soon have thrown her in a cellar, but there were social niceties that had to be observed. He did make sure she remained separated from her retainers, and she was under constant guard. Qrow was pretty sure she was not going anywhere, but he was not going to take any chances. He placed his own temporary headquarters in the same building so he could react immediately should something happen. The next day they would head back, aiming to reach Ylisse as soon as possible. Over the next few hours Pegasus messengers arrived with news that the two other armies had also broken the Plegian defensive line with similar ease to Qrow's force. Khan James had also been successful but been slowed by difficult terrain and was still relatively near the border of Ferox.

Weiss and Yang entered Qrow's headquarters as he was looking over some maps. He had studied the maps enough over the preceding days to commit them to memory, but he had a lot on his mind and going over them was a bit of a distraction. "We need to talk." Weiss said.

"I'm sure we do." Qrow said. "I thought you'd bring the whole group for a council of war."

"This is something more personal." Weiss said. That got Qrow's attention.

"We ran into my mother." Yang said.

"And you're all still alive?" Qrow gasped. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's true." Weiss said. "She captured the two of us."

"She pissed me off until I turned into a dragon, then left expecting me to kill Weiss." Yang said. "Luckily her necklace was a Dragonstone and I was able to regain control."

"I'm sorry." Qrow said. "That must have been difficult for both of you."

"It worked out." Yang said. "It got us to admit how we really feel about each other."

"Congrats." Qrow said. He sounded less than enthusiastic. "I'm sure you're not just here to tell me that. What's up?"

"I asked mom if she killed Summer." Yang explained. "She said she wasn't responsible. I want to know what that even means."

"It means Summer would have died that day whether or not your mother was even there." Qrow sighed. "It was a setup."

"By who?" Yang asked. "Mom said it was the person with the most to gain, but I can't think of anyone who gained anything."

"Are you sure you want to know the truth?" Qrow asked. "It will be difficult to hear. Do you think you're ready?"

"I need to know." Yang said.

"What about you Princess?" Qrow asked.

"I can handle it." Weiss said.

"We'll see about that." Qrow sighed. "First, you want to know who's responsible. Well, that one's easy. The emperor arranged Summer's demise."

"But why?" Weiss asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Not on the surface, but I did some digging." Qrow said. "What do you know about Summer from before she came to Chon'sin?"

"Just that she was a knight from Rosanne." Yang replied.

"That's true, but that's not all she was." Qrow said. "She was also a distant cousin of the Duke of Rosanne."

"So what?" Yang asked.

"So, the Duke didn't have any heirs." Qrow explained. "Summer only had a weak claim to the Duchy, but it was the best claim anyone had. The emperor decided he wanted the Duchy for himself, so he had Summer killed, staging it as just another battle casualty, and then poisoned the Duke."

"But what about Ruby?" Yang asked. "That would make her heir to Rosanne."

"Yes it would, but she was a small child." Qrow replied. "Taiyang asked if he could accompany Ruby to Rosanne. The emperor refused to allow it, saying he was needed in Chon'sin. That would have meant Ruby leaving without him, right after he had lost his wife. Ruby was the only connection to Summer he still had. So your father agreed not to press Ruby's claim to the Duchy, and so Rosanne passed to the emperor. He eventually awarded it to his heir."

"Winter…" Weiss said. "Did my sister have anything to do with this?"

"I doubt it." Qrow answered. "She was just a kid at the time, still too young for that kind of intrigue. She still benefitted from it though. Now do you understand why I hate your family?"

"But I'm not like my father." Weiss said. "Winter's not like our father."

"Maybe so kid, but I'm not one to take chances." Qrow said.

"You never said whether Raven killed Summer or not." Yang said. "Did she?"

"I was there that day you know." Qrow sighed. "I was just watching. I had too many friends on both sides to choose one or the other. I guess I'll just tell you the story…"

* * *

The armies met on an open plain between steep hills on one side and a stream on the other. This would be it, the decisive battle for Chon'sin. On one side stood the imperial army, led by the emperor himself. On the other were the rebels. The rebels had the numbers but the imperial troops were of better quality. The forces were evenly matched and both expected victory. The imperial army was split into three parts. In the center was the emperor. He rode a white horse, his gilded armor gleaming in the sunlight. On the left were loyalists from Chon'sin, led by Taiyang. He rode a horse as well, clad in battle dress traditional for Chon'sin. On the right were troops from Rosanne, led by Summer.

Summer was on horseback as well. She was wearing ornamental armor befitting of a Duchess, though she held no such rank. The emperor had insisted on it, saying that being visible to her troops would be inspiring. Summer questioned the wisdom of making herself such a highly obvious target, but orders were orders. All the soldiers were under strict orders not to advance until the emperor ordered it, under penalty of death. Summer waited behind her soldiers for the trumpet blast that would order them forward.

Across from them the rebels were similarly arranged, led by the son of the last king of Chon'sin. His left was commanded by Raven. Her troops were under similar orders not to advance. The rebels had a position on a slight upslope and so would do well on the defensive. They did not need the battle. They were committed to wait as long as it took. At some point the imperial army would have to attack them. Raven asked for and was given permission to attempt to eliminate the enemy leadership. Her ability to throw down portals to drag enemies to her had won more than a few battles for the rebels.

Raven scanned the imperial army. She could see the emperor in the center. As nice as it would have been to grab him, to kill him in front of all, it was impossible. He was surrounded by a magical force field projected by a trio of mages. She saw Taiyang as well. He was far away but within her reach. But she still held some feelings for him. She could not bring herself to kill the man she had once loved. Then she saw Summer. Summer was riding around behind her troops, giving a speech and whipping them into a frenzy. Raven had her target. She stepped into the no-man's-land between the lines and cast her spell.

A portal opened up beneath Summer's horse. There was no warning and no way to avoid falling through. Horse and rider tumbled to the ground, now just a few meters in front of Raven. Raven lunged for Summer but she was ready. She knew Raven's tactics. She deflected the blow with her scythe and jumped back. Her horse got up, causing a momentary distraction as the wounded animal thrashed about. Raven cut it down. "Defend me!" Summer called out to her troops. A few in the front line started forward but a horn sounded, calling them back. Some still kept advancing until their officers physically brought them back into line. The few that persisted were shot down by imperial archers. There would be no help for Summer.

Raven's troops did not advance to interfere. She had instructed them to stay out of the fight beforehand. It was going to be a single combat. Summer readied her weapon and Raven did the same. Both lunged forward, their weapons clashing briefly before both backed up again. A portal opened beneath Raven. Summer realized what was happening and rolled out of the way as Raven fell out of the sky, her sword slashing through the spot where Summer had been standing. Summer spun around, whipping her scythe in a circle, but Raven leapt out of the blade's path. Then an arrow hit Summer, seemingly from out of nowhere.

* * *

"I saw where the arrow came from." Qrow said. "There was an archer hiding in some bushes near the stream. I chased him down and interrogated him. He admitted the emperor had paid him to assassinate Summer if the opportunity arose."

"So the archer killed Summer." Yang said.

"I wish he had." Qrow sighed. "Raven told me the rest of the story..."

* * *

Summer was badly wounded. Too wounded to go on fighting. The arrow had pierced her chest, though it had missed her heart and major blood vessels. She dropped her weapon and fell to her knees. "I yield." Summer said. "Please, Raven, spare me. For the children."

Raven stood over Summer. She looked down at the woman, the one who had stolen Taiyang away, the one who had the happy and comfortable life she could have had, the one in service of the emperor. "No." Raven said. "They are the reason I must kill you. They need to learn what happens to those who support the Schnee." She grabbed Summer by the throat and lifted her up.

"Please...show mercy." Summer pleaded as Raven choked her. Raven drew back her sword and plunged it into Summer's chest. Summer's eyes bulged and she struggled for a moment before falling limp. Raven let her lifeless body drop to the ground.

The soldiers from Rosanne, on seeing their commander killed, yelled in horror. But they were not demoralized. Now entirely uncontrollable, they surged forward, shouting a mighty war cry as they advanced to avenge their fallen commander. Raven calmly took a step away from Summer's body and a portal appeared below her. She fell through, returning to the rear to command her troops. The rest of the imperial army followed the example of the troops from Rosanne. The wild melee that ensued lasted for hours. Eventually, inspired to avenge their commander, the troops from Rosanne broke the rebel left and the entire rebel army collapsed. Few escaped and those that did were forced to flee into exile.

* * *

"Eventually Raven realized the emperor had used her." Qrow said. "It hit her hard. Even before that I think she regretted killing Summer. She hasn't been the same since. The last time I saw her she was clearly unbalanced, but I've heard it's only gotten worse. Some say she's gone completely mad."

"She didn't seem particularly sane when we encountered her." Weiss said.

"That would explain why she didn't notice the dragonstone." Qrow said. "Or maybe a part of her didn't want Yang to kill you. Maybe a part of her was afraid that it would hurt Yang as much as killing Summer hurt her. I don't know."

"We can't tell Ruby." Yang said. "I don't know how she'd react but I know it wouldn't be good."

Qrow noticed something and looked toward the door. "I think it's too late for that." He sighed.

Ruby was standing in the doorway with tears streaming down her face. She had just come to say hello to her uncle, only to learn the awful truth. "Your mom...killed my mom." Ruby sobbed. "And your father was behind it."

"Ruby...I'm so sorry." Yang said. "I…" Ruby ran off. "Wait…" Yang rushed off after her sister.

"Well that could have gone better." Qrow sighed. "The last thing you guys need is more heartache." They could hear footsteps running toward the room. "Ruby...I'm really…"

But it was not Ruby. A messenger in Feroxi dress burst in, struggling to catch his breath. "An imperial army has landed in Ferox!" The messenger announced. "Khan James is moving north to block its advance. He is heavily outnumbered but will hold out as long as possible."

"We'll just repeat the plan we pulled off against Plegia." Weiss said. "We'll sneak up behind the army and kill my father."

"The emperor is not with the army." The messenger reported. "The imperial forces are led by the Duchess of Rosanne."

"Winter…" Weiss gasped.

"Damnit, we're not ready." Qrow slammed his fists on the table. "I need to inform the other armies. We need to get to Ferox fast."

"My group will move ahead and join Khan James' army." Weiss said.

"No, don't you see?" Qrow asked. "His mission is suicidal. He's just buying us time to concentrate our forces. If you join him you'll die too."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Weiss asked.

"We'll concentrate all of Ylisse's forces with whatever troops Ferox can raise." Qrow said. "Then we'll face the imperial army."

"I know how powerful the imperial army is." Weiss said. "There's no way Ylisse and Ferox can stand up to them, not so soon after fighting Plegia."

"We don't have a choice." Qrow said. "Either we stop them or your father will rule the world."

* * *

END ACT I


	15. Music to Their Ears

Chapter 15

Yang chased Ruby out of the building and into the night. If Ruby kept running there was no way Yang was going to catch her. Even without Crescent Rose to boost her speed, she was simply too much faster. But Ruby did stop. She ran a few steps away from the building before coming to a halt. Where would she go anyway? She dropped to her knees and sobbed. "Ruby...I'm so sorry." Yang said. She knelt at her sister's side and put a hand on her shoulder.

Ruby shook Yang's hand off. "Don't touch me!" She shouted. "Go away!"

"I'm sorry for what my mother did, and I'm sorry you had to find out like that." Yang said. "I want to be here to help you through this."

Ruby shoved Yang and she fell to her side. Ruby stood up. "How can you help?!" Ruby screamed. "My mom's dead and there's no bringing her back. And it's all because of your mom! How am I supposed to even look at you? You look just like her!" Upon his marriage to Raven, Taiyang had paid for a portrait of the couple. After their split he had kept it in the attic. There Ruby and Yang had happened upon it while playing one day. Raven's resemblance to Yang was not yet evident at such a young age, but now that Yang was about the same age Raven had been when the portrait was made, the resemblance was uncanny.

"Ruby please…" Yang pleaded, but Ruby was already running again. This time she was headed for the inn the group was staying in. Yang just sat there. She too began to cry. She wanted to help her sister, to protect her physically and emotionally. Ruby's happiness was more important to Yang than her own. Now she realized she could only cause Ruby pain. Just seeing Yang's face was like looking upon the face of her mother's killer.

Yang heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She ignored them, crying to herself. Someone sat beside her. "I'm sorry about what happened to Summer." Weiss said. "I know she was the closest thing you had to a mother. My father's crimes are far greater than I imagined."

"As far as I'm concerned, Summer was my mother." Yang wept. "Ruby must be hurting so much now. She never really got over Summer's death. Sure, she hid away her feelings, pushed them to the back of her mind, but the wound never really healed. Now it's been ripped open again. And I'm the source of her pain."

"You don't choose your parents." Weiss said. "We both feel responsible for what they did, but it's not our fault."

"It's not just that my mother killed Summer." Yang said. "You saw Raven. You saw how much she looks like me. Ruby knows what she looks like from an old painting."

"Oh...that's...tough." Weiss sighed. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about princess." Yang said. "So why are you crying?" Yang did not even have to look at Weiss to know she was crying. She could hear it in her voice.

"Just after you left a messenger arrived." Weiss replied. "The imperial army's landed in Ferox."

"Already?" Yang gasped.

"Winter's leading it." Weiss continued. "What lies must my father have told to get her to do his bidding? Or maybe she knows the truth and sided with him anyway."

"I'm sure she doesn't know the truth." Yang said. "The empress was her mother too. And the two of you always got along well from what I saw."

"I hope you're right." Weiss said. "I hope that when she learns the truth she'll join us. I don't think I have the heart to fight her, let alone kill her if that's what it comes to."

"It won't come to that." Yang said. "She's wise and kind, just like her sister."

"Thank you." Weiss said. "Now go talk to your sister. I'm sure she needs someone right now."

"I don't think that someone is me." Yang sighed. "Hopefully Pyrrha can take care of her."

* * *

Pyrrha stood before a mirror, staring herself in the face. Her fists were clenched, her knuckles white, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands. Her breaths were short and sharp. Pyrrha knew she had to calm down but she did not know how. She decided to focus on looking calm - hence the mirror - in hopes her appearance would somehow make a difference in her mental state. It had worked before, but she had never felt such rage. She had the face worked out. She could not bring herself to put on her usual cheerful expression, but impassive was better than nothing. There were cracks even in that facade as the occasional tear rolled down one cheek or the other.

Before Pyrrha could move on to the next step, Ruby burst through the door. She was sobbing. "Yang's mom killed my mom!" Ruby yelled. She immediately rushed over and hugged Pyrrha, burying her face in Pyrrha's shoulder.

"I...I'm sorry to hear that." Pyrrha said. She did her best to take on a sympathetic tone, but she suspected she had been unsuccessful. "That must be hard. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm in a position to help you right now."

"Then who?" Ruby asked. "Yang looks just like her mother, Weiss' father set up the killing, and Blake was Raven's ally. Ren's too cold and Nora's not serious enough. You're the only one I have!"

Pyrrha pried Ruby off and held her at arm's length. "Ruby, right now all I have is anger and hatred." She sighed. "I have my parents' killer in my hands and I can't have justice. I can't even have revenge. Worse, I find myself willing to violate everything I hold sacred, forsaking the fate of Ylisse and the world I would gladly murder Cinder, just as she murdered my parents. And I would not make it a clean death. It would be slow, and she would feel it, just as my parents were forced to suffer as they wasted away. The fact that I feel this desire sickens me. It makes me question who I am, what I stand for."

"I need you!" Ruby protested. "You have anger and hatred...so do I! If I got my hands on Raven...the things I would do...death would be a mercy. I always wanted to be a virtuous knight, just like you, but I'd throw it away in an instant to get revenge."

"It isn't right for either of us to feel this way." Pyrrha said. "It's natural, it's human, but it isn't right."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know." Pyrrha admitted. She stepped forward and embraced Ruby. "I wish I did, but I truly don't know."

* * *

Qrow had been up all night and now it was nearly morning. He was planning, scouring maps, trying to find any way to rescue the situation. It looked very bad. James' army was doomed. If he used the mountain passes intelligently, he could hold up the imperial army for a few days at most. If Winter was willing to take heavy losses, she could steamroll James' troops in a day or two. Or she could surround them and annihilate them, but that would take time. Qrow did not think the army could last a week in the best of circumstances, and even if it did it would not be enough. Sure, Ylisse could rush its armies to link up with Glynda's to defend the capital of Ferox, but there would be no time to raise additional troops. With the forces at their disposal, they would be no match for Winter's massive army.

"It looks bad, doesn't it?" Blake said. Qrow had not heard her enter.

"Worse than you know kid." Qrow sighed.

"If you take a good defensive position with all four armies, you might be able to stop them." Blake said. "But probably not."

"I know." Qrow said.

"I'd say our group could pull off something like we did with Plegia, maybe take out the imperial leadership or something, but I don't think we could do it right now." Blake admitted. "I've never seen morale so low. They're tearing themselves apart. I think even Ren and Nora are feeling the strain."

"I'm afraid I'm going to make it worse." Qrow groaned. "I don't have the forces to escort the queen back to Ylisstol. I'm sending your group to do it. Weiss wanted to meet with the Exalt anyway, and the last time we met he said he wanted to meet with her. Unfortunately, given Pyrrha's situation, it looks like an exceedingly bad idea, even if it's the only realistic option."

"You could keep Pyrrha with your army." Blake suggested.

"No." Qrow said. "She would never agree to that. The way Ruby is right now, Pyrrha's going to want to be with her. I need Pyrrha to go anyway. I don't trust the queen and her retainers. They need to be guarded by a force capable of stopping them if they try anything. Without Pyrrha, your group isn't nearly strong enough."

"Is it even strong enough with her?" Blake asked.

"Probably not." Qrow replied. "But with her there's a chance."

"What are you going to do?" Blake asked.

"I'm going to take my army to Ferox." Qrow answered. "I'm going to find a place to make a stand, and I'm going to make it. Honestly, that's all I can do. Finding a place to make a stand, maybe that's all any of us can really do."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Blake said.

"Don't worry about it kid." Qrow said. "Just the ramblings of a drunk old man who's seen too much."

* * *

The next day the group set off, escorting their captives back to Ylisstol. To facilitate their task, Qrow had provided them with two specially modified carriages and the draft horses to pull them. They were little more than cages on wheels really, though the one setup for the queen did feature padded seating and decent enough upholstery. Ren and Nora rode the carriage carrying the queen's retainers. Weiss, Yang and Blake rode the carriage carrying the queen herself, staying just behind the other carriage. Ruby rode Zwei at the head of the group and Pyrrha took up the rear on her Pegasus.

Ruby did not want to look at the others. The sight of Weiss, Blake and her sister sickened her. Though all very indirectly, they were all connected to Summer's death. She would have preferred to ride with Pyrrha. At least their shared rage could be some sort of solace, but Pyrrha insisted on riding at the back and someone needed to lead the column. Pyrrha was at the back because she wanted to keep an eye on the queen and her retainers. Cinder had killed her parents and she so desperately wanted her revenge. If Cinder - or Emerald or Mercury for that matter - tried anything, Pyrrha wanted to be in a position to see it and react. She was determined to make any attempt at escape a fatal one.

Atop the first carriage, Ren and Nora chatted happily. Well, Nora did most of the talking. Ren would chime in with a word or two every so often just to make sure Nora knew he was listening. On the second Weiss and her retainers talked strategy. Their surprise attack on the heart of Plegia had been a strategic masterstroke, even if it had been assisted by Cinder's apparent treachery. A similar move would be required to rescue the situation in Ferox. Unfortunately, Winter would have to be the target. Weiss feared a showdown with her sister, not for its potential impact on the fate of the world or the risk to her own life, but because of what she might be forced to do. It was almost too painful to contemplate, but if Winter persisted in her support of their father, Weiss would have to stop her, maybe have to kill her. Even Blake seemed worried about the prospect. Yang was not much help, barely participating in the conversation, her mind focused on the pain her sister must have been feeling and her own inability to do anything about it. Whenever Yang attempted to talk to Ruby she just turned away, refusing to even look at her. She would then make it explicit that she was not interested in talking. As much as the circumstances were crushing Ruby, they were destroying Yang as well.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted. "Oh princess." Cinder called through a small gap in the carriage.

"What do you want...Your Majesty?" Weiss asked. It was painful to address such a despicable person with that kind of respect.

"I wish to speak to the Countess of Nikopolis." Cinder said.

"I doubt she wishes to speak to you." Weiss said.

"I am a queen." Cinder said. "She is a countess. I am her superior and she will do as I wish."

"She's not Plegian, she doesn't have to listen to you." Weiss said.

"Don't make this difficult." Cinder sighed. "It would be a shame if the peace talks in Ylisstol went badly…"

Weiss swore under her breath. She doubted Cinder would follow through on such a threat but she could not take the chance. If war between Ylisse and Plegia flared again, there would be no hope of stopping her father. "Very well." Weiss said through gritted teeth. "Pyrrha! The queen wishes to speak to you."

Pyrrha rode up beside the carriage. "What do you want?" Pyrrha asked.

"I just wanted to say how much you remind me of your parents." Cinder said with a grin. "A tremendous fighter, a truly valiant knight, a gifted tactician but too rude for your own good." Pyrrha gritted her teeth and gripped the reins tightly but said nothing. "Many were saddened by their tragic passing. The king was crushed. They had been so even-handed in their dealings with him, even though their lands had taken the brunt of the damage in the war." Cinder paused and smiled, looking at the raging Pyrrha with satisfaction. "I hear Nikopolis suffered quite a lot of damage in this war as well. The king was truly despicable to have launched such a heinous sneak attack, don't you think?"

"He said he was against the war." Pyrrha said. She sounded remarkably emotionless. "Before you murdered him, he said he had not had any power anyway. It makes me wonder who actually launched the war." She gave Cinder a pointed glance. "Such a monster would surely suffer the punishment of the gods...or of man."

"That fire in you, that rage, that hatred, it's intoxicating, isn't it?" Cinder laughed. "You should embrace it. Let it fuel you."

"If I did, you would regret the suggestion." Pyrrha threatened.

"The only regret I have is that the assassins I sent to Nikopolis failed to kill you." Cinder hissed. "You can't escape my grasp forever. I will see to your family's extinction."

Pyrrha drew her weapon and slammed the blade into the side of the carriage, leaving it stuck there. "One day - not today, not tomorrow, but one day - I will end you." Pyrrha promised. "And I'm going to make you really feel it. My parents suffered, but it was nothing compared to what you'll have to endure."

"Is that a threat?" Cinder asked with a smile.

"No, it's a promise." Pyrrha shot back. "If you think you regret my survival now…"

"Pyrrha!" Weiss shouted. "Enough! You too...Your Majesty."

"That's quite alright." Cinder said. "I'm done. It's been a joy, Countess."

"Likewise." Pyrrha growled. She wrenched her lance free of the side of the carriage, slowed her Pegasus and fell to the back of the column.

* * *

"You two are from Plegia right?" Emerald asked, growing tired of Nora's manic exclamations.

"That's correct." Ren replied.

"Why'd you leave?" Emerald asked.

"Our village was wiped out by the Plegian army." Ren replied. "A Feroxi general took us in."

"What a tragedy." Mercury said with obvious sarcasm.

"Don't start." Nora warned.

Mercury knew he had her. "I heard about that village." He continued. "They sided with Ferox. Our liege decided to make an example of it."

"Your liege?" Ren asked. "The king?"

"Oh, no." Mercury replied. "Why Cinder of course. The king was just a helpless, senile old man. Sure, Cinder was a little young to be involved in politics, but as the king's only living relative it had to be her. She ordered that every villager be killed, as painfully as possible. It's a shame to see that the incompetents in the army failed to complete their task."

Nora stood up in her seat and drew her hammer. "I'll kill her!" She screamed. "I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!" She swung her hammer toward the top of the carriage, intending to smash through it to crush its passengers.

Ren lunged at Nora, grabbed her arm and twisted her around so she fell off-balance. "Nora, I know you're angry, but you can't." Ren advised. "If you do this you'll only be helping them."

"But they killed everyone we loved!" Nora protested. "And it's all Cinder's fault!"

"I know." Ren said. "One day they'll get what's coming to them. But right now we can't."

"But she…" Nora trailed off into incoherent babbling as she began sobbing uncontrollably. Ren did his best to soothe her, but she was inconsolable.

"I don't know what's more annoying, her talking or her crying." Emerald groaned.

"Oh, this is music to my ears." Mercury said with a grin.

* * *

The trip to Ylisstol took four days. It was four days of torture as the captives repeatedly taunted their escort, knowing they could do nothing to respond. It was a great relief when the group could hand them over to the city's garrison. Peace talks started immediately. When they were complete Weiss would finally get to meet with the Exalt. His armies were already fighting her father's, but if they somehow won an invasion of Valm would be needed to end the threat the emperor posed. Weiss needed to make sure the Exalt would be willing to support one.


	16. Rage and Despair

Chapter 16

Adam returned to his hideout. As hideout went, it was a pretty good one. A small but well-stocked cabin in the wilderness, it was located just inside Plegia, near the borders of both Ferox and Ylisse. It was both a nomansland where he would be unlikely to be discovered and still close enough to any potential targets to be convenient. His latest scouting mission had come up empty. Princess Weiss had already left the area. He was determined to eliminate her. Then he would eliminate her sister, assuming the opportunity presented itself. Adam was not about to launch a suicide mission. The time was not yet right and he would just have to wait.

Adam entered the dimly lit cabin. As soon as the door closed behind him he felt the edge of a blade pressed to his throat. "Hello Raven." He said.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you." Raven demanded.

"Kill me?" Adam said. "For what?"

"For assisting the emperor, our enemy." Raven replied. "It's hard to imagine a clearer example of treason."

"I just wanted the chance to kill his daughter." Adam said. "Besides, if it gets me closer to him that'll make it easier to kill him too."

"You failed on both counts." Raven said. "All you've done is given him an excuse to expand his power."

"Or overextend himself and lose it all." Adam countered. "I heard you had Princess Weiss in your hands. Yet she lives. It makes me question your dedication to our cause."

"She should have died." Raven said. She lowered her blade from Adam's throat. "Something went wrong."

"You didn't even kill her attendants." Adam continued.

"My daughter…" Raven started.

"Is our enemy." Adam cut her off. "As a supporter of the princess, she must die, along with the rest. That's our mission. That's _your_ mission."

"I had to try to bring her to our side." Raven said.

"And it didn't work." Adam said. "Now she needs to die."

"I know." Raven confirmed. "And I will not spare her again. We'll attack them the next time they're in the open, but there's a complication."

"What kind of complication?" Adam asked.

"Summer's with them." Raven shuddered.

"Summer's long dead." Adam said. "You killed her yourself, years ago."

"But she's with them." Raven persisted. "I saw her. I...I...we can't kill her again. When we attack, you are to spare her."

"Sure, whatever." Adam said. "And you'll keep your hands off Blake. I'll deal with her."

"Fine." Raven agreed. "And the rest die."

* * *

It had delayed her for days, but Winter finally had Khan James' army surrounded. One more push would wipe them out. She was on a mission of revenge. Her mother and sister had been murdered, and word was it had been with the help of Ferox's Khans. The whole story was hard for her to believe, for a number of reasons. That her mother and sister were dead was tough enough to accept, but the idea that her sister had been abducted and executed was something else. Weiss would never be taken alive. Maybe she had no choice. Wounded and defenseless, she may have simply been dragged off. There were other reasons to doubt the veracity of the account, but there was no alternative for her to believe, and she had other motivations besides. She could not allow her doubts to cloud her mind for she had no choice but to succeed in her mission. Failure would mean a fate worse than death.

Winter ordered her forces to attack. The Feroxi army was well entrenched and Winter's forces took heavy losses, but with their huge superiority in numbers the issue was never in doubt. She never even had to commit her reserve. Winter was glad she had been able to keep them out of the fight. She did not trust their commander. He was too emotionally broken to effectively lead, but his appointment made sense on a symbolic level. The force from Chon'sin was led by none other than Taiyang Xiao-Long, lured out of retirement with the chance to get revenge on the people who had killed his wife and now his daughters.

Taiyang had been at his home enjoying a quiet retirement in a small manor in a Chon'sin forest. Then a pair of imperial officials arrived. They told him his daughters had been killed while unsuccessfully attempting to protect Princess Weiss from assassins. The officials carried a pair of ash-filled urns, one emblazoned with a rose and the other with a flame. When he asked Taiyang was informed that they had been cremated because it was decided that the sight of their mangled corpses would have been too distressing for him. And who had been the assassins? Chon'sin exiles, the same group who had killed Summer all those years ago. Even as he conversed with the officials, Taiyang was contemplating how he would kill himself. He had nothing and no one left. Then the officials gave him something to live for - revenge. Help lead the army of vengeance, take the fight to the villains responsible for all his pain. Of course he accepted the offer.

Winter watched from the top of a hill as her army mopped up the last remnants of the Feroxi force. On her orders commoners were spared, stripped of their weapons and released. For nobles, there was no mercy and they were to be killed on the spot. As the architects behind the murders of her mother and sister, they had to die. As day turned to dusk, a group of soldiers approached Winter. "We have a prisoner for you." Their leader said.

"We're not taking prisoners." Winter said. "Commoners go free, nobles die."

"We thought you'd be interested in this one." The leader explained. He motioned to the others to bring the prisoner forward. They dragged a bloody man before Winter. His hands were bound and one of his legs was twisted at a sickening angle. His ornate armor clearly marked him as the Khan.

"I am interested." Winter said. "But do not disobey my orders again. Now go, leave him to me."

Khan James looked up at Winter. "Your Majesty." He said.

"I never thought you'd allow yourself to be taken alive." Winter said. "Disgraceful."

"I didn't exactly have a choice." James said. "My horse was killed, my leg mangled, and I was faced with a dozen men. I tried to fight to the death, but they only disarmed me. They denied me the honorable death I desire."

"You don't deserve an honorable death." Winter hissed. "You're a monster."

"How so?" James asked.

"You and the other Khan ordered the deaths of my mother and sister." Winter replied. "I won't let their murders go unpunished."

"For the record, we had nothing to do with the plot." James said. "No one from Ferox did."

"Your lies will not save you." Winter said. She drew her blade.

"I'm not lying and your sister is not dead." James said. "I met her. She made quite the impression. She claims your father is behind your mother's death and the attempt on her life. Her retainers Yang and Ruby were with her."

Winter had a hard time doubting him. The way he looked her in the eye when he spoke, the fact that he knew who her sister's chief retainers were, it all pointed to him being truthful. "So Weiss lives?" Winter asked. James nodded. "But she is now an enemy of the empire."

"She's an enemy of the emperor." James corrected. "She's only your enemy if you continue to support your father."

"Unfortunately I have no choice." Winter said. "I cannot spare you either. But I will grant you an honorable death. Turn around." James turned his back to Winter and she cut the bonds that held his hands. "Now attack me."

James struggled to stand on his one good leg. He finally got his balance then lunged toward Winter. Winter stepped back and thrust her sword forward, piercing his throat. James dropped to his knees. "Thank you." He mouthed. Winter drew back her blade, then severed his head with a single swift hack.

Winter summoned a servant. "See to it that he receives a proper burial." She ordered. She had not wanted to kill him, but she had her orders, and she had no choice but to follow them. Now she would have to march on the capital. The knowledge that Weiss was alive took a great weight off her shoulders, but the idea that she may have to fight her sister filled Winter with dread. If it came down to it, could Winter really kill Weiss?

* * *

Qrow had his spot. To get to the capital of Ferox, the imperial army would have to pass through a narrow valley bordered by nearly sheer rocky slopes on either side. The only alternative route would be a week-long detour through difficult terrain that happened to be covered in snow. Qrow knew there was no way the imperial army could make the alternate route without running out of supplies. They would have to fight him on his ground.

Word had just reached Qrow that Khan James' army had been annihilated. One Pegasus rider had slipped away to deliver the news. Qrow hoped there would be some survivors, some that might even flock to the new army and swell his ranks, but he knew it was unlikely. The imperial army was a little over a week away with no other forces before his own. All of Ylisse's armies and the Feroxi army under Khan Glynda were assembled but they would still be outnumbered and outclassed but Valm's excellent army. Their strong position would even things up but the situation was still not a good one.

Qrow and Glynda ordered their troops to begin work on extensive field fortifications. It was their only hope. In addition to a wooden palisade with towers for archers and mages, there would be a ditch filled with spikes and various obstacles would be scattered on the ground in front of that. Positions were set up in the heights above the valley from where archers could shoot down at the approaching army. What little artillery they had was emplaced in protected positions behind the lines. The battle was going to be a close run thing in the best of circumstances, and they could afford to leave nothing to chance.

* * *

Weiss and her group would have to wait until peace talks were over before their audience with the Exalt. That could take days, even weeks if it went badly. They would live in luxury - they were put up in a royal guest residence attached to the castle, a place used exclusively to house visiting royalty - but idleness was dangerous. Between what had gone on in Plegia, Qrow's revelation and the taunts they had been forced to endure since, they were at the breaking point emotionally and time alone with their thoughts would only exacerbate the problem.

Weiss decided that for the sake of appearances, she could not share her quarters with Yang. For a royal princess to be in a romantic relationship with such a minor noble - Ruby and Yang were technically members of the nobility but occupied almost the lowest rank - was socially unacceptable. Unfortunately that left her alone. After a few hours of being unable to sleep, she could take it no more. She dressed and headed for Yang's room. "Yang, are you awake?" Weiss asked as she pushed through the door.

"I am now." Yang groaned.

"Oh gods!" Weiss yelled, seeing Yang nude, splayed out on her bed. "Why are you naked?"

"Because I'm trying to sleep." Yang replied. "You're the one who came in without knocking. Besides, I know you like what you see."

"At least wrap yourself in a sheet or something, I want to talk." Weiss said.

"Fine." Yang sighed. She pulled the sheets around herself, covering just enough that Weiss stopped complaining, but not so much that Weiss stopped staring. "What's up?"

"We're going to have to fight my sister." Weiss said. "Her army at least, maybe Winter herself. It might be that I have to kill her. I don't think I can do it."

"I'm sure it won't come to that." Yang assured her. "She probably doesn't even know what really happened. When she finds out I'm sure she'll side with us."

"And what if she doesn't?" Weiss asked.

"Then we'll do everything we can to neutralize her without killing her." Yang said.

"You clearly don't know her very well." Weiss sighed. "As long as she breathes there's no stopping her. She'll either join us or fight us to the death."

"I'm sure you'll be able to do what's necessary." Yang encouraged. "If you can't, your friends will."

"What about you?" Weiss asked. "The way Ruby's been acting lately...if she attacked you, what would you do?"

"I'd let her kill me if it came to that." Yang replied. "I certainly wouldn't fight back and risk hurting her."

"We can't afford to do the same with Winter." Weiss said. "We have to win or none of us have a future. But I don't think I could hurt her anymore than you could hurt Ruby."

"I'm sure she'll see the light." Yang assured Weiss. "She's not our enemy. She's a future ally. You have to believe that."

"I want to believe that." Weiss sighed. A high-pitched scream shattered the tranquility of the night. "What was that?!"

"It sounded like Ruby!" Yang shouted. She leapt up, still naked, and headed for the door.

"Take the sheet!" Weiss yelled, tossing it to Yang who hastily wrapped herself back up. There was another scream. "That sounded like Pyrrha."

"It's coming from downstairs!" Yang announced. "Let's go!"

* * *

Ruby and Pyrrha both found themselves unable to talk about their issues. They were in too much pain, recognized the pain in one another, and did not want to make their partner feel worse. So they just sat together in silence, performing endless maintenance on their weapons and armor. Earlier in the day they had headed down to the basement where there was room to exercise and even spar. None of it was enough to get their minds of their problems. Then a servant came by and offered wine. He said the residence was stocked. They each requested a bottle. The servant dutifully brought them two bottles of wine and departed. Soon both Ruby and Pyrrha were drunk.

"I'm going to kill Cinder!" Pyrrha slurred. "I don't care if she's Queen of Plegia. I'm going to make her suffer."

"And I'm going to kill Raven." Ruby declared. "She'll be begging for death by the time I'm done with her."

Pyrrha started crying. "This is horrible." She sobbed. "We're both talking about torturing people. We're supposed to be valiant knights, not butchers."

"I wish things could go back to the way they were in Nikopolis." Ruby sighed. "Just us training together, having fun."

"That's it!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "Let's spar!"

"That's a great idea!" Ruby agreed.

The pair grabbed their things and hurried to the basement. The walls were lined with racks of weapons - both training and real - and various exercise tools. The center of the room was wide open though, with a relatively high ceiling. It was perfect. Ruby stood at one end of the room, scythe in hand. Pyrrha stood at the other, lance and shield ready. "Go!" Pyrrha yelled. The pair rushed toward one another, at least as fast as they could while plastered. As Ruby closed in she twirled around, swinging her scythe in a circle. Pyrrha ducked the attack and the momentum, combined with Ruby's drunken state, caused her to tip off balance. Pyrrha thrust her lance forward. Shink. Slurp. Pyrrha drew her lance back, its blade stained red with Ruby's blood. They had been too drunk to remember to switch to training weapons.

Ruby dropped her scythe and looked down at the wound in her torso. She screamed. Blood poured out of the gash and she tried to cover it with her hands, only for the crimson liquid to leak between her fingers. "Ow…" She said as she collapsed in a heap.

Pyrrha screamed. "Ruby no!" She cried. She tossed her weapons away and rushed to Ruby's side, kneeling before her. The wound was to Ruby's left side, near the bottom of her ribcage. Blood gushed out.

Yang - wrapped in a sheet - and Weiss - in an nightgown - arrived in moments. "Gods!" Weiss exclaimed. "What happened?"

"We were...sparring." Pyrrha replied, her speech slurred by drunkenness and further distorted by sobbing. "And I...stabbed her."

"Sparring with real weapons!" Yang shouted. "Are you insane?!"

"She's drunk." Weiss said, shaking her head.

"I'll kill you!" Yang screamed. She rushed forward but Weiss grabbed her and held her back.

"I'm so sorry." Pyrrha cried. "I killed her. I can't live without her." Pyrrha threw herself on top of Ruby's motionless body and cried inconsolably.

By then Blake had arrived, followed by Nora and Ren. Blake rushed to Ruby. "She's still breathing." She reported.

Yang struggled to get free of Weiss' grasp, a fight she was slowly winning. Weiss released her but immediately followed it up with a slap across Yang's face. "Calm down now!" Weiss demanded. "Pull it together and we can save her life. Nora, get a cleric from the castle infirmary!" Nora nodded and rushed off. "Pyrrha, you know how to heal. Pull yourself together and do it." Weiss grabbed a staff from a nearby rack and tossed it toward Pyrrha. It rolled across the floor and Pyrrha picked it up.

Pyrrha started using the staff. After she spoke the spell Ruby's wound shrunk and the bleeding slowed, but did not stop. "I...I can't do more." Pyrrha wept. "Ruby...I'm so sorry...I...I…" Her speech devolved into incoherent babbling.

"Ren, if you've got anything, now's the time." Weiss commanded.

"I can only transfer lifeforce from one person to another." Ren reminded her.

"Take mine." Yang offered.

"This is going to hurt, a lot." Ren said.

"I don't care." Yang said.

"I apologize in advance." Ren said. He grabbed Yang by the throat and began to glow as he spoke the spell. Yang then began to glow, grunting as waves of pain flowed through her. Ren was still glowing when he released Yang, and she dropped to her knees in pain and exhaustion. Ren knelt and laid his hands on Ruby. The glow that surrounded him shifted to her and her wound shrunk until only a red and black mark remained. "I've stabilized her condition, but she will need more care." Ren confirmed.

Nora returned with a pair of clerics carrying a stretcher. They eased a still inconsolable Pyrrha out of the way and gently loaded Ruby onto the stretcher. Nora and Ren each grabbed an end of it and they carried Ruby to the infirmary while the clerics went to work.

"Yang, are you alright?" Weiss asked.

Yang was still on her knees, hunched over and hyperventilating. "I'll be fine." She said. She looked up at Pyrrha, her face contorted with rage. "I'm not done with you. I'll tear you apart." Yang said through gritted teeth. Blake escorted Pyrrha out of the room, as much to get her away from Yang as anything else. Weiss stayed behind with Yang. "I'm going to kill her." Yang hissed.

"Calm down." Weiss ordered. "I won't have us fighting each other."

"She hurt Ruby." Yang said.

"Yang, go to sleep." Weiss commanded. "We'll talk this over in the morning."

"But I…" Yang started.

"That's a direct order." Weiss cut her off. "Go to your quarters. You're not to leave until I say so." Yang was shocked to hear Weiss so forceful and direct. For once she followed Weiss' orders.


	17. Forgiveness

Chapter 17

Ruby woke up in a strange place with a splitting headache and a terrible pain in her gut. "Where am I?" She asked of the blurry figure at her bedside.

"The infirmary." Blake replied.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"You were stabbed." Blake answered. "The injury was pretty severe but you'll be alright."

"Someone attacked us?" Ruby asked. "I don't remember anything."

"Not exactly." Blake sighed. "As I understand it, you and Pyrrha got very drunk and decided to spar with real weapons. She won and you almost died."

"Oh...but that doesn't sound like something we'd do." Ruby said.

"As I said, you were both incredibly drunk." Blake explained. "Probably trying to drown your sorrows or something."

"That actually makes a lot of sense." Ruby sighed. "We have both been pretty down. Where's Pyrrha now?"

"Probably in her room crying." Blake answered. "That's the last place I saw her. She was really broken up about hurting you."

"I bet." Ruby said. "She shouldn't blame herself though, I was just as stupid."

"You know how she is." Blake shrugged. "She blames herself for everything anyway."

"Where's Yang?" Ruby asked. "I bet she's really worried."

"Weiss has her confined to her quarters." Blake replied. "Probably to keep her from killing Pyrrha. She tried to attack Pyrrha but Weiss stopped her."

"That's not surprising." Ruby sighed. "Damnit, I feel like I'm breaking up our group now."

"So fix it." Blake suggested. "You might be the only one who can."

"I'll try." Ruby said. "So why are you here? I wouldn't expect you to be the one watching over me."

"It's kind of by default." Blake said. "Weiss is keeping an eye on Yang to make sure she doesn't try anything, and Nora and Ren are protecting Pyrrha in case Yang gets past Weiss. I suppose they're also there to make sure Pyrrha doesn't do anything stupid."

"Well, thanks for caring about me." Ruby said.

"Don't mention it." Blake said. "We're allies after all, and Yang thinks we'll be more effective if we're also friends. I have to admit she has a point."

"I thought we were already friends." Ruby said.

"Maybe we were." Blake said. "Alright now, get some rest. It'll help the healing process."

* * *

Yang banged on the door. "What do you want?" Weiss asked, standing on the other side.

"I want to go see my sister." Yang replied.

"Are you sure you don't want to go strangle Pyrrha?" Weiss accused.

"I want to do that too, but I'd settle for seeing Ruby." Yang said.

"Alright Yang, I'm going to unlock this door." Weiss said. "When I do, you are to go straight to the infirmary, no detours. If you even attempt to approach Pyrrha's quarters, Nora and Ren are under orders to subdue you. Then I won't be letting you out again for a long time."

"Fine, just let me out." Yang said impatiently. "I just want to see my sister."

"Don't make me regret trusting you." Weiss said as she unlocked the door.

Yang pushed through the door and headed for the infirmary without saying another word to Weiss. She considered trying to get to Pyrrha but decided success was unlikely and knew failure would only hurt her relationship with Weiss. She walked the corridor that connected the residence with the castle proper. Just beyond was the infirmary. One of the clerics led Yang to Ruby's bed. She was asleep and so was Blake who was sitting in a chair at her bedside. Yang put a hand on Blake's shoulder and she was immediately grabbed by the wrist. "Oh...it's you." Blake said.

"Yeah, it's me." Yang said. Blake released her and Yang withdrew her hand. "Has she regained consciousness yet?"

"Yeah, we talked for a little bit." Blake replied. "I explained what happened. Now she's just resting."

"Alright, well, I'm just going to hang out here for a bit." Yang said. "You can go if you want."

"Sure, sleeping in a bed beats this damn chair." Blake said as she got up.

Yang took Blake's place in the chair. Ruby was sleeping quite soundly as Yang looked at her. She felt guilty. Perhaps if their own relationship had not taken the turn it did, Ruby would not have gotten drunk and done something so stupid. That sadness and guilt shifted to rage as Yang thought about Pyrrha. She was supposed to be the responsible one, the mature one. Then she'd gone and impaled her sister while in a drunken stupor. She clenched her fists until her knuckles cracked and turned white, her fingernails digging into her palms.

"Oh, hey Yang." Ruby said.

Yang snapped out of her rage. "Ruby...you're awake." Yang said. "Well, I guess I should get going. I'm sure you don't want to see my face. I'm glad you're alright." She started to get up.

"Yang wait." Ruby said. "Don't go." Yang sat back down. "I wanted to talk to you."

"What about?" Yang asked.

"About the whole thing with our mothers." Ruby replied.

"Oh...that...of course." Yang sighed. "I'm really sorry…"

"No, I should be the one apologizing." Ruby cut her off. "I've been really unfair to you. Getting hurt like this made me realize how dangerous my emotions can be. I got drunk to try to deal with my pain, but that's not healthy. I should have worked it out with you."

"Ruby...I…" Yang trailed off.

"You have your mother's face, but that's not your fault." Ruby continued. "You didn't choose your mother. I hate her, but I shouldn't take that out on you. I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Yang said, her eyes tearing up. She leaned over and embraced Ruby. Ruby squealed in pain as Yang pressed against her wound and Yang immediately released her. "Oh...sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through all this, losing your mother, finding out what happened the way you did, getting hurt...you didn't deserve any of this."

"But none of it's your fault." Ruby said. "I'm just glad we can be happy together again. You're the best sister I could ask for."

"The same goes for you." Yang said. "I want nothing more than for you to be happy."

* * *

After chatting with Ruby for a little longer Yang returned to her quarters. Weiss was waiting at the door. "Hey princess." Yang said. "Looks like Ruby doesn't hate me anymore."

"That's good." Weiss said. "But I don't think she ever hated you. She just had to work through some things."

"I guess." Yang said. "It doesn't matter. We're back to normal and that's what's important." Yang laughed and reached for her door. "Well, back into the prison cell I go."

"About that." Weiss said. "Since you were trustworthy enough to go see your sister without doing anything untoward, I'm ending your confinement. I won't be locking you in and Ren and Nora won't be guarding Pyrrha."

"I still intend to make her pay for hurting Ruby." Yang warned.

"Yang, would you please try to look at the situation like a sane human being." Weiss sighed. "It was an accident, a stupid, drunken accident. Pyrrha feels terrible already. She's taken a self-imposed emotional beating and she doesn't need a physical one from you to drive the point home. Besides, do you think Ruby would be happy if you hurt Pyrrha? If you want her to actually hate you that would be a good way to make it happen. And it's not like you've never accidentally hurt Ruby. Remember how bad you felt when you broke her jaw? I've never seen you so depressed. Pyrrha's feeling exactly the same way now. You can be mad, you have every right to be, but don't do anything stupid."

"I...I won't." Yang said. "I promise."

"Good." Weiss said. "I'm trusting you."

* * *

"How are you doing?" Weiss asked, approaching Ruby's bedside. Ren and Nora were already there, chatting with Ruby.

"I'm alright." Ruby replied. "Just a little achy."

"Good, I'm sure you'll be on your feet in no time." Weiss said. "I'm glad you straightened things out with your sister. I could see how it was weighing on both of you."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I caused so much trouble." Ruby sighed. "It was stupid of me."

"You're only human." Weiss said. "I'm just glad the two of you can move on now."

"I wanted to let you know that we're alright too." Ruby said. "Your father was involved in my mother's death, but that's no reason for me to hold a grudge against you."

"Good to hear." Weiss said. "I assume you have no problems with anyone else?"

"Nope." Ruby confirmed. "I never had an issue with these two, and Blake and I are certainly friendly now."

"What about Pyrrha?" Weiss asked.

"Of course I don't have an issue with Pyrrha." Ruby replied. "I'm actually worried about her. Blake said she's taking it hard."

"She is." Weiss said. "I'm sure once you're up and about she'll be back to normal too."

"If Yang doesn't kill her." Ruby sighed.

"I don't think we have to worry about that." Weiss said. "At least I hope we don't."

* * *

Pyrrha sat on the edge of her bed crying. She had been crying on and off ever since she had injured Ruby. When she was still drunk she had been hysterical. Now that she was sober it was worse. Her guilt and sadness now had the backing of rational thought. She had lost control of her emotions, done something incredibly stupid, and Ruby had almost died as a result. Weiss, Ren, Nora and even Blake had stopped by to tell her not to be so hard on herself, that it was not all her fault, that Ruby did not want her to be so sad, but she could not help it. The training accident in Nikopolis had been bad, but this was so much worse.

Pyrrha realized she was more than Ruby's girlfriend. She was Ruby's mentor, and maybe even a motherly figure. Both on a personal level and as a noble warrior, Pyrrha was supposed to protect Ruby. Ruby obviously trusted her, and Pyrrha had betrayed that trust. She had failed Ruby on such a basic level. And when Ruby really needed her, really needed the emotional support, Pyrrha had been no help at all, too focused on her own anger and hatred. That too was a betrayal, not just of Ruby but of everything Pyrrha was supposed to stand for, everything she strove to be. If she could harbor such hatred, such homicidal rage toward another human being, even one as despicable as Cinder, how could she be a valiant warrior of justice?

The door to her room swung open. Yang stood in the doorway. "Pyrrha." Yang said emotionlessly.

"Yang." Pyrrha said. She stood and faced Yang. "I'm truly sorry for what I did to your sister." She wiped the tears off her face. "I willingly submit to whatever you have in store for me."

Yang approached Pyrrha, staring at her impassively. She closed in until the two were just inches apart. Yang took a deep breath. Pyrrha closed her eyes and waited for the blow she knew was coming. Then, suddenly, shockingly, Yang embraced Pyrrha. Pyrrha opened her eyes and looked to her left where Yang her placed her head on Pyrrha's shoulder. There were tears in Yang's eyes. "I forgive you." Yang said, her voice shaking. "I'm sorry for threatening you."

"But Yang I...what?" Pyrrha stammered.

"You didn't hurt Ruby on purpose." Yang said. "You would never do that. You're too good a person and you love her too much." She released Pyrrha from her embrace and took a step back.

"But I'm not a good person." Pyrrha sighed. She was crying again. "All this anger and hate I've been feeling...it's vile."

"It's human." Yang countered. "We all have feelings and thoughts we're not proud of. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"But I'm supposed to be better than this." Pyrrha persisted.

"Nobody's perfect." Yang said. "And you're definitely a good person, I can tell by how torn up you are about all this. You truly care for Ruby. It's killing you that you hurt her, even though you didn't mean to. You're taking on way more guilt than you deserve. That tells me all I need to know about what kind of person you are. The best kind. I'm glad Ruby has you."

"She deserves someone better." Pyrrha continued.

"Sure, she deserves an unattainable ideal, but that's never going to happen." Yang laughed. "You're the best reality has to offer."

"I keep telling everyone I'm not that great." Pyrrha said.

"And everyone keeps telling you you are." Yang encouraged. "Come one. Ruby needs you now."

"I don't think I'm the right person." Pyrrha admitted. "I couldn't help her before. I don't think I can help her now."

"This isn't a choice Pyrrha." Yang said. "This is something you have to do. It's your duty. Her mother's death is still a huge weight she has to carry around, and with this face I'm not going to be the one to lift it, even if we did patch things up. She can hide it, but I can tell she's still hurting. Only your support can get her through that."

"But I don't know what to do." Pyrrha complained.

"That's okay." Yang said. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Thank you." Pyrrha said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Alright, come here." Yang said, stepping forward and holding her arms out. "Let's have a nice hug and stop crying." They hugged one another. "You've got quite the front." Yang said with a wink. Her hands, around Pyrrha's back, drifted lower. "And quite the rear."

Pyrrha forced Yang back. "Okay, that's enough." Pyrrha declared. "Don't make me tell…"

"Weiss?" Yang laughed. "Go ahead."

"No, Ruby." Pyrrha said with a devious grin. "She's very protective. She said she'd cut off you hair while you slept if you tried to steal me."

"Okay, no need for that." Yang said, suddenly on the defensive. "I'm sorry, I just revert to flirting to diffuse any heavy emotional situations."

"Oh, I know." Pyrrha said. "Now, I should probably go talk to Ruby. I don't know how I can face her right now, but…"

"She doesn't blame you, so what's the trouble?" Yang cut in. "Just go. I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

* * *

Pyrrha summoned the courage to visit Ruby at the infirmary. She arrived at a bad time. One of the clerics was attending to Ruby's wound, leaving it in full view. Ren's magic had closed it but left behind a large and deeply discolored scar. Before Ruby's body hardly had a mark on it, but now there was a very visible reminder of the damage Pyrrha had done. Beyond the scar, Ruby's skin looked abnormally pale, probably from the loss of blood. Her face contorted in pain as the cleric worked. Pyrrha froze as her emotions surged. Seeing Ruby like this was painful. In the moment Pyrrha hated herself, knowing what she had done as a result of her own anger and lack of self-control. She could not even cry.

The cleric finished, covered the wound up and left. Ruby noticed Pyrrha. "Hey Pyrrha!" She said cheerfully. Pyrrha just stared at her, unable to move, unable to speak. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry." Pyrrha finally said. There was a distinct lack of emotion in her voice.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Ruby said. "We both did something stupid, so it's my fault as much as yours. I just as easily could have hurt you. If you hadn't dodged my attack I probably would have cut you in half."

"Maybe that would have been better." Pyrrha said, her voice still a disconcerting monotone.

"Don't say that." Ruby said. "I know you blame yourself but I don't want you to. I don't want you to be sad."

"How can you be so kind to me?" Pyrrha asked. "Don't you see what I've done?"

"So it hurts a little." Ruby shrugged. "Now I'll have a sweet scar like Weiss!"

"It's not just the physical pain." Pyrrha continued. "I betrayed you. I'm supposed to protect you, but I hurt you, almost killed you. I let my emotions control me and you paid the price."

"You didn't do it on purpose." Ruby said. "I know you would never hurt me intentionally."

"But I'm a knight." Pyrrha said. "I'm supposed to protect the innocent. I'm supposed to be a paragon of virtue. I'm not supposed to let myself get wrapped up in anger and hatred. I'm not supposed to get drunk and harm innocent people. It goes against everything I stand for, everything I believe in. But here we are."

"Pyrrha, you're being way too hard on yourself." Ruby encouraged. "You're still a 'paragon of virtue' and all that. Only someone with a heart of stone could go through what you had to go through with Cinder and not end up an emotional wreck."

"No, I'm a terrible person." Pyrrha said, her voice breaking. She rushed forward, fell into Ruby's arms and started crying. "I'm so sorry! What I've done is unforgivable!"

"No it isn't." Ruby said. "I forgive you. There, forgiven."

"Just like that?" Pyrrha sobbed into Ruby's shoulder. "No, that's not…"

"It is." Ruby cut her off. "That's all there is to it. You made a mistake. You owned up to it and apologized. I accepted your apology. I'm sure you won't do it again. That's it. Now please, let's go back to the way things were. I just want us to be happy, together."

"Oh Ruby…" Pyrrha wept. She took a few deep breaths and regained her composure. "I think...I think I'm okay now."

"Good." Ruby said. "So...could you get off me, this hurts a lot."

Pyrrha suddenly recoiled. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She gasped.

"That's okay." Ruby laughed. "So come on, be happy. Smile."

Pyrrha did her best to smile. It was still difficult. She still felt guilty and still harbored her hatred of Cinder. In the back of her mind she still felt like she was not the valiant knight she wanted to be, and maybe never would be. But maybe if Ruby could still accept her, that would be enough. "Thanks for supporting me through everything." Pyrrha said. She remembered what Yang had said about Ruby's loss of her mother, about how even though Ruby looked like she was back to her usual happy self, she was still hurting. "If you ever need help, or if you just want to talk, don't hesitate."

"Don't worry." Ruby said. "Everything's good now."

Pyrrha suspected that was not the case. "Are you sure there's nothing?" She asked.

"Well, there is one thing." Ruby replied. Pyrrha was eager to hear it, eager to help in any way she could. "I'm pretty thirsty, could you get me something to drink?"

"Oh...alright." Pyrrha said, doing her best to hide her disappointment. Ruby was still hiding her pain away. "I'll get right to that."


	18. Exalted

Chapter 18

With the help of Ylisstol's expert healers, Ruby was recovering quickly. She was in training shape the following day and expected to be in proper fighting shape soon after. In the meantime the peace talks between the Exalt and the Queen of Plegia had borne fruit. Before the settlement was even announced Cinder rushed back to Plegia with her retainers. She no doubt had to consolidate her power, though many suspected that would be easier than it had been for most other new Plegian rulers. It seemed Cinder had been in control for quite some time.

Heralds spread the word that the Exalt was going to address the public about the peace agreement. Weiss' group was just as eager to hear it as the average citizens. As much as anyone they had won that peace, and now that it was finalized they would get their opportunity to meet the Exalt. The group was placed on a balcony near where the Exalt would give his address, a place reserved for special guests. Nobles from all over Ylisse joined them on the perch as they waited for the Exalt to emerge.

When the Exalt walked out onto his balcony the mass of people below let out a thunderous cheer. On the VIP balcony things were a bit more subdued. He was not what most had been expecting. Weiss' group had never met the man - even Pyrrha had never had any personal contact with him - and they were surprised to see that he was old and bespectacled, walking with the aid of a cane and looking rather tired and weak. Even the nobles who knew him were surprised. They knew he was old, and he always did have the cane, but he had never really needed it. Now it seemed the only thing holding him up.

"People of Ylisse, I bring joyous news." The Exalt announced. His voice was strong and clear if not particularly loud. More cheering. He waited for it to die down before continuing. "Plegia has officially surrendered, the hostilities between our nations are at an end." Cheers, louder than before. "The Queen of Plegia has agreed to pay reparations for the damage and death caused by the war, along with a large indemnity as an apology." The cheering continued. "She has also signed a treaty of friendship and nonaggression." Wild cheers. "But all is not well." The cheering stopped. "Even now our armies face the forces of Valm, in common defense of our friends in Ferox. Even should we repel this invasion, the war will not be over. The emperor will not give up because of such a minor check. There will come a time when I must order Ylissian soldiers to invade Valm itself, as the great Chrom once did. This war will not be an easy one. It will cost much in lives and gold, but I hope you will support me in this vital fight for peace." There was a brief silence before the crowd cheered, indicating their support.

"Looks like he's committed to our cause." Yang whispered to Weiss.

"He's committed to a cause that currently coincides with ours." Weiss corrected. "I still must speak with him."

After waving to the crowd for a few minutes the Exalt turned and hobbled back inside. Somehow he looked even more frail than before. Weiss' group mingled with the assembled nobles for a while, fulfilling their social obligations and hopefully gathering more support for their cause. Eventually a representative from the Exalt arrived. He wanted to see Weiss and her allies immediately. The representative led the group through the palace. To their surprise they bypassed the throne room and headed deeper inside, into the Exalt's private quarters. They bypassed even the usual spaces that might be used for a more personal meeting between nobles, eventually arriving outside the Exalt's bedroom.

"The Exalt is ready to see you." One of the guards outside reported. "There is no time to waste."

"Thank you." Weiss said with a courteous bow. "Is the Exalt unwell?" The guard did not answer but his expression confirmed he was.

The group filed into the Exalt's room to a shocking sight. The Exalt was lying in bed, wrapped in blankets and being continuously attended to by a group of clerics. "I welcome you, Princess Weiss, Countess Pyrrha, your valiant retainers." The Exalt said weakly.

"It is an honor to meet you." Weiss and Pyrrha said in unison. They and their retainers bowed before the Exalt.

"I can see the concern on your faces." The Exalt said. "But please, let us discuss the reason for your visit."

"Your Majesty, Exalt of Ylisse, wisest of all rulers, I, Princess Weiss of Valm, seek an alliance in my effort to replace my father as Emperor of Valm." Weiss said.

"No need to be so complimentary or formal." The Exalt said. "Call me Ozpin. I'm just a mortal man after all."

"Your Maj...Ozpin, my father is an evil man and must be stopped." Weiss said. "In his place I would guarantee the peace between our nations. I would promise to refrain from launching any aggressive wars, and will expand the rights of my people."

"I know you would." Ozpin said. "You have my full support. After the imperial forces invading Ferox are dealt with Ylissian soldiers will invade Valm with the intention of putting you on the throne. You have my word." Weiss moved forward and extended her hand to shake Ozpin's. "No, you shouldn't. Our words, our honor is enough. I am not safe to touch."

"What is wrong?" Weiss asked. "Are you afflicted with illness?"

"So it seems." Ozpin confirmed. He looked to Pyrrha. "I see fear and pain on your face."

"She did it, didn't she?" Pyrrha asked.

"Who?" Ozpin asked.

"The Queen of Plegia." Pyrrha replied. "Cinder. She's cursed you as she cursed my parents."

"I'm afraid so." Ozpin sighed. "When escorting her here, did any of you touch her?"

"I restrained her back in Plegia." Yang answered.

"Skin-to-skin contact?" Ozpin asked.

"No." Yang replied. "I was wearing my armor."

"Thank the gods." Ozpin said. "The curse is transmitted by direct contact."

"There must be some way to save you." Pyrrha said. She was doing her best to hide her emotions but she was tearing up.

"I'm afraid the only way to break to curse is to kill Cinder." Ozpin said. "That is not advisable. Her survival is necessary to keep peace between Ylisse and Plegia."

"But you'll die!" Pyrrha exclaimed.

"My life is a small price to pay to save the world." Ozpin said. "The emperor must be stopped. The Queen can be dealt with later."

"But I...we…" Pyrrha stammered.

"We all die eventually." Ozpin said. "Princess Weiss, please, come close so I can look upon you, but take care not to touch me, lest you be cursed as well."

Weiss approached, leaning her face close to Ozpin's. He stared into her eyes and smiled. "What's this about?" Weiss asked.

"The end is near." Ozpin said. "I will die without issue. With me, the line of Exalts blessed by Naga dies. Only those with Exalted Blood can unlock the power required to seal away an immortal dragon."

"Grima's dead already." Weiss said. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"There are more dragons than just Grima and Naga." Ozpin explained. "There is one, hiding in the shadows for centuries, that aims to take up Grima's mantle. She must be stopped."

"But if you're the last of the Exalted Blood, no one will be able to do that." Weiss said.

"True, but I am only the last of my line." Ozpin said. "There are others. One, a descendent of a sibling of Chrom, married into the Valmese imperial house."

"Are you saying…" Weiss started.

"Your mother carried Exalted Blood." Ozpin said. "That means both you and your sister do as well. It's diluted and weak, but you have it. You bear the Exalt's mark in your eye. However faded, it's there."

"I don't know what…" Weiss trailed off.

"Take the Falchion and the Fire Emblem." Ozpin commanded. A servant brought out a case and opened it to reveal both. "If the need arises, you must wield them. Please, the fate of the world depends on you."

Weiss was stunned. She never knew about her mother's ancestry and never dreamed she could have Exalted Blood. "I...I will." Weiss promised.

"I know they're in good hands." Ozpin said. "Now, my time is short." He motioned to a servant. "Take this package to Qrow."

"Of course." Weiss said, taking the small box from the servant. "You need not worry."

"I know." Ozpin said. "Now go. Seeing you has lifted a great weight from me, but now it's time for me to sleep. Goodbye."

"It has been an honor." Weiss said with a bow. Her retainers bowed as well.

"I'm so sorry." Pyrrha said. "I should have killed Cinder. You wouldn't…"

"You did the right thing, sparing her." Ozpin cut her off. "My death is the price that must be paid to save the world."

"But…" Pyrrha trailed off. "I will avenge you, and my parents."

"I'm sure you will." Ozpin said. "But don't let it consume you."

"I...I...won't." Pyrrha stammered.

"Now go." Ozpin ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Pyrrha said with a bow.

The group was ushered out of the palace. They returned to their residence to gather their things, procured some supplies for their journey, and headed out. In a few days they would reach Ferox. Hopefully Qrow and his army would still be there when they arrived.

* * *

The trip to Ferox and Qrow's army would be a quick and simple one. Straight up the road to the north, through Nikopolis, across the border and then on to the capital before taking the road west to where Qrow's army was positioned. And now, thanks to the generosity of the Exalt, the travelers were all mounted on pack horses. Since they were riding they could make it to Nikopolis in just two days and to the army in another. The first day was entirely uneventful. The group made it more than halfway to Nikopolis, stopping at a roadside inn for the night.

The next day got off to a good start. The group moved at dawn. It was chilly but the sun was out to warm them as they rode. By noon they had reached Pyrrha's county and would reach the village of Nikopolis in just a few hours. The road cut through open meadows, then through narrow gaps between encroaching forests, crossing rolling hills as it wound further north. The trip was smooth and easy, for a time. Yang was riding beside Ruby as the road ran between a thick forest and an open field. Now that they had patched things up Yang was eager to talk to her sister. She knew Ruby was still dealing with some issues and Yang wanted to be there for her. Pyrrha led the column as she usually did. Yang and Ruby were followed by Weiss and Blake, riding single file, and Nora and Ren rode side-by-side at the back.

A swirling black portal opened up just behind Pyrrha. Ruby and Zwei fell in awkwardly and Yang too was unable to avoid the trap. All she could manage was a warning. "Stay back!" She shouted as she disappeared into the blackness. Weiss pulled up short, avoiding the same fate. Pyrrha wheeled her Pegasus around and darted for the portal, but it closed before she could reach it.

"Raven again, damnit!" Blake yelled.

"They're in danger!" Pyrrha shouted. "We have to find them!"

"There's no obvious place she'd be this time." Weiss observed.

"I'll take to the air and find them." Pyrrha said. "I know every inch of this county. Once I spot them I'll signal the rest of you with magic."

"The rest of us will guard Weiss, just in case she's splitting us up to make an attack easier." Blake said.

Pyrrha took the the air, soaring on her Pegasus. Blake, Weiss, Ren and Nora dismounted and took up a defensive formation. Once the sound of flapping wings faded into the distance it was quiet, far too quiet. Blake heard something none of the others did and turned. "We're not alone." She warned.

"Quite the hearing you've got Blake." A man's voice said. A masked man with a sword stepped out of the forest a little further up the road. "It doesn't matter, I don't need the element of surprise to kill you all."

"Adam." Blake growled. She charged straight at him as Nora placed herself between Weiss and the attacker. Ren stepped back and to the side, positioning himself to attack with his magic, but Blake was in the way. She drew her sword and froze in place.

Adam stood still and smiled. He spun around with his elbow out and the real Blake reappeared as Adam struck her in the face. "I know all your tricks." Adam laughed. Blake scrambled to get up but Adam kicked her in the chest, knocking her flat on her back. "Stay out of this." He kicked her in the stomach a few more times, leaving her groaning on the ground.

Nora edged forward, wanting to help Blake but wary of leaving herself open to attack. Ren finally had his angle. He spoke a spell from his tome and electricity flew from his fingertips. Adam casually held out his sword to meet the attack. The electricity surged through the blade then disappeared, leaving the weapon with a subtle red glow. Adam started walking toward the trio and Ren fired another attack, only for it to have the same result. "Stop…" Blake warned, still unable to get up. "You're only making him stronger."

Adam stopped and turned to face Blake. "Shut up traitor!" He shouted. Nora saw her opening, swung her hammer back and charged. As she approached Adam she whipped her weapon around at shoulder level. Adam turned and held out his sword with one hand. The weapons met and a burst of energy pulsed out from Nora's hammer. Nora was pushed back but Adam stood unmoved. "Fool." Adam stepped toward the off-balance Nora, twisted around and slashed. His blade cut through Nora's armor as if it were not even there, cutting into her side by several inches.

Nora stood still for a moment, staring down at the blade lodged deeply in her torso. Adam withdrew his blade. Nora dropped her hammer and collapsed in a heap as blood poured from the gap in her armor. "Nora!" Ren cried as he rushed forward. Adam took a step back and readied his blade, but Ren stopped when he reached Nora. He held his arms out to his sides and a translucent shield appeared around Nora and himself.

Adam glanced back at Blake. She was still down, only having managed to get to her knees. "Looks like it's just you and me princess." Adam said. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

* * *

Ruby and Zwei landed hard, knocking out both horse and rider. Yang managed to push herself clear of her horse as she fell. The animal slammed down hard as Yang managed to brace against the impact, landing on all-fours. "Ruby!" Yang called as her panicked horse struggled to get to its feet. Yang rushed to Ruby. Zwei was on top of one of her legs and she had landed on her injured side. It was good that she was unconscious because she would otherwise have been in terrible pain. "Ruby, speak to me." Yang pleaded. At least Ruby was still breathing.

Yang looked around. Raven had to be near. Her horse was on its feet thrashing around. Then it suddenly stopped. Raven stepped out from behind it, drawing her sword across the animal's throat. "Looks like it's just you and me this time Yang." Raven said as she slowly approached. Then she saw over the top of Zwei and her expression changed as she stopped in her tracks. Gone was her confidence, replaced by fear and doubt. "Summer…" She gasped.

"I know, you killed Summer." Yang said. "Qrow told me. You're a monster."

Raven shook her head and focused on Yang. "The emperor was responsible for Summer's death, not me." Raven said.

"Say it enough and you might even convince yourself." Yang shot back. She stood and faced her mother, placing herself between Raven and Ruby.

"Yang, I'm giving you one last opportunity to join me." Raven said. "I do not want to kill my daughter, but I will if I must."

"I'll never join you." Yang declared. "You're evil."

"The Schnees are evil." Raven countered.

"Weiss isn't evil." Yang said. "She's kind, generous, just, everything a ruler should be. Why can't you see that?"

"She's a Schnee." Raven said. "Those snakes are great actors. It's only a matter of time before she shows her true colors."

"You can try to convince me all you want." Yang said. "I'll never turn on her."

"I will kill you." Raven warned.

"You can try." Yang said with a smirk as she took a fighting stance.

Raven slid her sword back into its scabbard. "You think you're strong." She said. "You're nothing."

"I'll show you what I can do." Yang said. She slammed her gauntlets together and they burst into flames.

"You would fight with such pathetic arms?" Raven asked. "No, we'll settle this as Branwens." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a glowing stone. "Goodbye Yang." Flames erupted all around her and her body was engulfed in blinding light. It faded with a pulse of energy and Raven was gone, replaced by a nine-foot-long red dragon with a black mane running down the back of its long neck.

"I never thought I'd actually want to transform." Yang said. "At least this time I'll be in control." She touched the pendant around her neck and the jewel contained within began to glow. Fire erupted all around Yang and she was engulfed in blinding light. It faded with a pulse of energy and Yang was gone, replaced by a nine-foot-long golden dragon with a flaming mane running down the back of its neck. The golden dragon roared at its crimson counterpart and the red dragon roared back.


	19. Deep Cuts

Chapter 19

Weiss faced off with Adam. She held her blade at the ready and looked around. It was a bad situation. Blake was still down, Nora was about a third of the way to cut in half and Ren was not going to leave her for anything. Weiss was an excellent fighter but she could tell Adam was better. He had taken down Blake and Nora without breaking a sweat. His sword appeared to absorb magic, removing Weiss' one advantage. Weiss hoped Pyrrha would hear the commotion and return. Together they could take Adam. But that was unlikely. Even if Pyrrha knew Weiss was in danger she would be more concerned with Ruby.

"If you just surrender I'll kill you quickly." Adam said. "Otherwise you'll be begging for death."

"You already know my answer." Weiss said. She pointed her sword at Adam and lowered her stance.

"Oh, I'm going to have some fun with you." Adam said with a smirk. He dashed forward. Weiss pointed her sword at the ground in front of him and coated it with ice. Adam started to slip but jumped, did a frontflip midair, and landed on his feet already slashing at Weiss. Weiss deflected the strike and stabbed forward. Adam sidestepped the strike. He smacked Weiss' blade away with his free hand and slashed back at her. She leapt back and out of range but landed off-balance. Adam lowered his shoulder and charged into her. Weiss tumbled back, coming to a rest prone. Before she could get up Adam was there. He stepped on her wrist, pinning it in place. Adam grabbed Myrtenaster's blade and ripped the weapon out of Weiss' hand. "Pathetic." He sneered. After kicking Weiss in the face he turned and threw her sword into the forest. "How should I begin?" He smirked. "I think you have too many fingers."

"Do you worst." Weiss said, defiant to the end. "You won't hear me beg."

"Oh, you'll beg." Adam assured her. Keeping his foot firmly planted on Weiss' wrist, Adam stabbed his sword into the ground beside her hand. Slowly he dragged the blade through the dirt toward her fingers. Adam heard footsteps. He delivered one more kick to Weiss face. "Blake, just stay out of this or I'll have to hurt you."

When Adam turned around the panther was already midair, heading straight for him. He and the animal tumbled to the ground with the panther ending up on top. Adam had dropped his sword, using both his hands to keep the beast from biting at his throat. He shifted his position, rolled and tossed the panther off. The animal flew through the air and landed on its side, quickly scrambling back to its feet. Adam grabbed his sword and stood, facing the animal. It ran at him. He waited. The panther leapt and Adam stepped aside. As it passed he sliced along its side with his sword. Bloody, the creature landed hard and rolled across the ground. After a moment it started to glow, emitting a blinding light. When the light faded the panther was gone, replaced by Blake who had a deep gash in her side.

* * *

The dragons roared and breathed fire at one another. The streams of flame met and cancelled. The red dragon lunged at its gold fellow. The dragons slashed at each other with their claws in a flurry of action. Raven was simply more powerful. The red dragon knocked one of the gold dragon's claws aside then slashed across the gold dragon's torso, leaving a trio of deep cuts. The gold dragon reeled and the red dragon pounced. It wrapped its jaws around the gold dragon's neck. The gold dragon went limp as the red dragon's razor-sharp teeth sunk into its flesh.

* * *

Pyrrha found Yang and Ruby. All she had to do was follow the smoke and flames. She pulled a tome out of the pack hanging from her Pegasus and launched a fireball into the sky. Hopefully Weiss and her group would be able to see the signal. She flew in closer to the ongoing battle. She was not fully prepared for what she found. There was Ruby, motionless on the ground, pinned beneath her horse. Nearby a pair of dragons wrestled. The red dragon was winning. Pyrrha suspected it was Raven. Who else could it be? The red dragon held the gold dragon's neck in its jaws. Pyrrha knew she had to act fast. She directed her Pegasus into a steep dive. Getting as fast and low as she dared, she threw her lance at the red dragon before climbing skyward once more. The lance pierced the red dragon's hide and it released the gold dragon from its jaws.

The gold dragon collapsed to the ground. It was engulfed in a blinding light and when the light faded it was replaced by Yang. Her neck was covered in blood from wounds on both sides but she was moving, still alive. Pyrrha swept down again, using the unique properties of her weapon to remotely retrieve her lance as she passed the red dragon. The dragon roared and breathed fire at Pyrrha, but her Pegasus was too quick. She pitched up into the sky once more, circled around, and dove at the dragon again. She threw her lance and it hit the dragon in the leg, sticking in place. Before the dragon could counter-attack Pyrrha swept upward again.

Blinding light engulfed the red dragon. When the light faded the dragon was gone, replaced by Raven. She ripped the lance out of her leg. Together with a gash in her back from the first attack she was obviously wounded severely, but fought on ignoring the pain. Raven hefted the lance and took aim at the airborne Pyrrha. Before she could throw it the weapon was ripped from her hands, flying back to Pyrrha as she swept low before gaining altitude once more. As Pyrrha circled around Raven walked over to where Ruby lay. Ruby's bow and quiver had fallen beside her. "I'll need to borrow this, Summer." Raven said.

Raven picked up Nidhogg and a handful of arrows. She readied three at once and took aim as Pyrrha flew in for another attack. Pyrrha did not throw her lance. Raven was too close to Ruby and Pyrrha was afraid of what would happen if she missed. Raven loosed her trio of arrows. One flew high, passing over Pyrrha's head. The second headed straight for Pyrrha but she deflected it with her shield. The third hit the Pegasus at the base of its wing. The creature cried in pain and convulsed, falling from the sky. The Pegasus slammed down hard on its side, knocking beast and rider unconscious.

"Leave them alone." Yang demanded. Though grievously wounded she stood and walked toward her mother. "It's me you want."

Raven tossed Nidhogg aside and drew her sword. "I can deal with them later." Raven said. Yang punched at Raven but the attack was weak and wild. Raven easily side-stepped the strike before delivering an elbow to Yang's jaw. Yang crumpled, falling to her knees at Raven's feet. "I admire your bravery, but you waste it in support of a vile cause."

"Says the murderer." Yang said. "Says the lunatic."

Raven shook her head and stood in front of Yang. She lifted her sword and placed the tip on Yang's shoulder armor. "You can still join me." Raven said. "You have until my blade hits something important." She slowly forced her sword down through Yang's armor and into her shoulder, splitting the flesh between her collarbone and shoulder blade.

Yang winced in pain as the blade cut deeper into her. "I'll never join you." She groaned. "I'll never betray my friends." Yang smiled and looked Raven in the eyes. She was ready. It was a good death.

Raven stopped pressing the blade down. She paused for a moment, meeting Yang's gaze. "I can respect that." Raven said with a smile. "Brave and honorable." She drew her blade out of Yang's shoulder and took a step back. They may have been on opposing sides of an intractable conflict, but there were some virtues both mother and daughter respected. "But you are still my enemy." Raven's smile turned to a frown. "You must die."

"Fine." Yang said. "Just spare my friends. They deserve to be happy." Raven said nothing, just readying her blade. Yang bowed her head. "I'm sorry Weiss."

* * *

Weiss used the opportunity afforded by Blake's attack to re-arm herself. There was no time to search the forest for Myrtenaster, but there were other options available. She rushed to her horse. Strapped to it was the case containing the Fire Emblem and the Falchion. She had no use for the shield but the sword would be useful. Falchion was quite a bit heavier than Myrtenaster but no heavier than the weighted training swords Weiss was used to practicing with. She edged toward Adam, pointing the sword at him.

Adam finished admonishing Blake and turned his attention back to Weiss. "Is that the Falchion?" He asked. "The Falchion."

"The one and only." Weiss confirmed.

"It sickens me to see scum like you wield such a legendary blade." Adam sneered.

"This scum has Exalted Blood." Weiss said. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with." Adam said. The pair closed and circled one another. "You're just a Schnee worm. Exalted Blood spills just as easily as any."

Adam lunged forward. Weiss side-stepped and deflected his blade away. He blocked her counter stroke. They separated then reengaged, swords repeatedly clashing. With each hit Adam's sword glowed more brightly. Apparently it absorbed more than magic. Weiss stabbed forward for Adam's heart. He backed up out of range and deflected the blow. He lifted his sword and wound up a mighty swing. Weiss held Falchion in front of her to block as Adam unleashed his strike. The attack was not meant for Weiss, it was meant for the sword. Unleashing all the built-up power, Adam's blade scythed through Falchion, cutting the blade off a few inches above the hilt. Weiss stared in shock at the destroyed weapon of legend.

Adam stepped forward and punched Weiss straight in the face. As Weiss reeled he kicked her legs out and she slammed down on her back. Adam kicked her in the gut, then the face. "As much as I'd like to drag this out and really have some fun, it's time for you to die." Adam hissed. "Kneel." Weiss remained lying on her side. "I said kneel!" Adam commanded. He reached down and grabbed her hair, pulling her up to a kneeling position. "The world will be a better place with one less Schnee in it."

* * *

Yang closed her eyes and waited for death but it did not come. She forced her eyes open to see what was taking so long. She looked up at Raven. Raven was facing away from her, transfixed by something. Yang looked beyond her mother.

"Leave her alone!" Ruby demanded. She was on her feet, Crescent Rose in hand.

"Summer…" Raven gasped. She held her sword in front of her but she was visibly shaking. "Summer I…"

"You killed my mother!" Ruby screamed. With all the supernatural speed afforded by Crescent Rose she charged.

"Ruby don't!" Yang yelled. In her wounded state she barely managed to make a sound.

Raven stood frozen as Ruby charged. Ruby whipped her scythe around but had misjudged. She missed with her blade but struck Raven in the side with the shaft. Raven stumbled aside. Ruby swung her scythe around, back and over her head, and brought the heavy blunt side of the weapon crashing down on top of Raven's head. Raven slammed down on her face, dropping her weapon. Ruby's face was contorted in fury, she breathed heavily through gritted teeth.

"What are you waiting for Summer?" Raven asked. She struggled to her feet, leaving her weapon on the ground. "Kill me. Have your revenge."

With a scream of rage Ruby swung Crescent Rose around but stopped short with the blade just inches from Raven's neck. "I can't do it." Ruby said. Her face, once twisted in rage, now betrayed her doubt. "I can't do it." Tears welled in her eyes and began streaming down her face.

"You must." Raven pleaded. "Summer, please kill me. Kill me before I kill my daughter. Kill me before I lose myself again."

"Yang?" Ruby said, her voice shaking.

Yang was unable to get up, too badly injured. "Do it." Yang advised. "She wants it, you want it, I want it. If we let her live she'll just attack us again."

"But I...this isn't…" Ruby stammered.

"End me." Raven said. "Set me free. Please."

Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see it was Pyrrha. Their eyes met. Pyrrha needed to say nothing, Ruby already knew what she had in mind. Ruby lowered Crescent Rose and stepped back. Pyrrha stepped before Raven, holding her lance and shield at the ready. "Raven Branwen, take up your sword." Pyrrha commanded. "I will not kill an unarmed opponent." Raven bent over and grabbed her sword, taking a fighting stance. "Ready?" Raven nodded. "Come at me."

Raven slashed at Pyrrha but the attack was weak and uncoordinated. Perhaps Raven's earlier injuries were finally taking their toll. Perhaps her heart was simply not in it. Whatever the case Pyrrha easily deflected the strike with her shield and Raven fell off-balance. Pyrrha thrust her lance through Raven's chest, the blade punching all the way through and bursting out her back. Raven dropped her sword, slid down the shaft of the lance and fell against Pyrrha. "Thank you." She whispered.

Pyrrha turned and shifted her lance around, allowing Raven's body to slide off. Pyrrha knelt beside her foe, said a prayer commending her soul to the gods, then ran her hand over Raven's face to close her eyes. "We'll take her body to Nikopolis for a proper burial." Pyrrha said. She walked over to her Pegasus. The animal was wounded by walking around. Pyrrha grabbed a staff that had been tied to the animal and walked to Yang. She said a spell and the wounds on either side of Yang's neck, on her chest and shoulder closed, though not cleanly. They were too severe for that.

"Thank you." Yang said. "For doing what had to be done."

"It was my duty." Pyrrha said. "I'm sorry for killing your mother."

"You only gave her what she wanted." Yang said. "What you did was a mercy."

"I...I couldn't do it." Ruby stammered, still crying. "Why couldn't I do it? I hated her but...I just couldn't."

Pyrrha stepped up to Ruby and wrapped her in a tight embrace. "You couldn't because you're too good a person." Pyrrha said. "Better than I."

"No, that's not true." Ruby said. "You're the best. You saved me from...from having to kill her. That would have weighed on me, I know it would. But you saved me, just like the knights in the stories Yang used to tell me."

Now Pyrrha was crying to. "I just did my duty." She said. "It's nothing, really."

"You see Pyrrha, that's your problem." Yang said, approaching the pair. "When you do something good, something worthy of praise, you downplay it as nothing. But when you make a mistake, you blow it out of proportion. If you would just look at your successes the same way you look at your failures, you'd see just what a great person you really are." Pyrrha was left speechless.

"Yang's right." Ruby said. "No one can be perfect, but you come as close as anyone ever has. You're the valiant and virtuous knight you always wanted to be, the one I want to be."

"Thank you." Pyrrha wept. "Thank you so much." She took a deep breath, and after one last squeeze, released Ruby from the hug. "Now, we should get back to the others. I'm sure they're worried." Pyrrha surveyed the situation. "Ruby will ride with me on my Pegasus. Yang can ride Zwei with...with Raven."

* * *

Adam stood before Weiss, ready to deliver the coup de grace. He heard footsteps again, this time from the side. It was Blake again. Bleeding from her side she stumbled toward him but veered away, placing herself between Adam and Weiss. "Blake, you're trying my patience." Adam grumbled. "I don't want to hurt my queen. Get out of the way."

"I won't let you kill her." Blake struggled. It looked as though she could barely stand.

"Why do you care?" Adam asked. "Blake Belladonna, last heir to the kingdom of Chon'sin, her parents killed by assassins sent by Emperor Schnee. Why do you defend his demon spawn?"

"Because she's not like her father." Blake replied. "She's kind, generous and just. Everything you're not. She's shown me that not every Schnee is evil. She's shown me that there are truly good people in the world. And...and...I love her."

"Oh for the love of…" Adam groaned. "You can't be serious! Surely you've lost your mind. It's one thing to work with a Schnee for you own aims, I can respect that, but you've really fallen for her lies. Either she's very convincing or you're just stupid. She's a monster, just like everyone else in her family."

"You're the monster, not her." Blake said. "And I won't let you kill her."

"Blake, I'm giving you one last chance." Adam said. "Step aside and let me finish this."

"No." Blake said.

"You forced me to do this my queen." Adam sighed. He whipped his sword around, the blade slicing vertically down Blake's face. With a blood-curdling scream she grabbed her face and blood covered her hands. Adam shoved her aside and Blake fell to the ground at his feet. Before he could make another move Weiss lunged forward with the shattered Falchion. There was still some blade on it and the part where it was cut off was jagged. She sunk the weapon into his abdomen, grabbed the sword out of Blake's scabbard, stood and readied for a fight.

Adam stumbled away. He grabbed the blade lodged in his gut, pulled it out and tossed it onto the ground. He was too injured to fight and he knew it. He headed into the forest, moving as fast as he could in his condition. "Blake, gods, are you alright?!" Weiss cried. Blake was still screaming as Weiss knelt beside her. Weiss pulled Blake's hands away to survey the damage. A gash ran down the right side of her face from hairline to chin, cutting across her eye. Blake's right eye was destroyed and there was not healing magic powerful enough to fix it. "Gods…"

A pained grunt from Ren drew Weiss' attention. Now that Adam was gone he had let the shield down and was kneeling beside Nora, laying his hands on her horrible wound. Ren was glowing and that glow extended to surround Nora as well. He was using his own life force to heal her. "Ren…" Nora said, her voice weak and full of fear.

"I'll be right back." Weiss said to Blake. "I promise."

"I'm here." Ren said. Weiss could hear panic in his voice. It was doubly worrying because Weiss had never heard any emotion in his voice. "I won't let you die." The glow around the pair intensified. Ren cried in pain and fell over. He lay on the ground for a few moments before getting back to his knees and laying his hands on Nora's wound again. "Even if I have to give my life."

"Ren, stop." Weiss commanded. Ren ignored her. With another cry of pain her sacrificed more of his life force to Nora. "Ren!" Weiss grabbed his hand and pulled him away. "You're going to kill yourself."

"I'll do anything to save her." Ren declared. He wrenched his hands free but Weiss immediately grabbed him again.

"Use me." Weiss offered. "This attack doesn't happen if I'm not here. Take all you need to save her."

"Are you sure?" Ren asked. Weiss nodded. "I'm very sorry." Ren reached up and grabbed Weiss by the throat. He pulled her down and placed his other hand on Nora. The trio glowed. Weiss' scream of agony was choked into silence as Ren drained her life force into Nora.

"Stop!" Pyrrha shouted, galloping toward them on her Pegasus. Ren released Weiss who collapsed to the ground. She grabbed her throat and groaned. Pyrrha jumped off her Pegasus and took up her healing staff. She said a magic spell and a brilliant light surrounded Nora. It was Pyrrha's most powerful healing spell and it was enough to roughly close the wound, stabilizing her. "Now, Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Weiss said, waving Pyrrha away. "Help Blake."

Pyrrha rushed to Blake's side. She had stopped screaming but was still groaning on the ground. "Gods…" Pyrrha gasped. She used her most powerful spell once more. When the light around Blake faded her wounds were closed, but large and discolored scars remained. Blake's eye was mostly repaired but a red vertical streak remained where the slice had been and the rest was cloudy in appearance. Pyrrha was left exhausted. "I'm sorry...I couldn't...save your eye." Pyrrha struggled to catch her breath.

"My eye?" Blake asked. She blinked, then cover each eye with her hand. "No, gods no…"

Weiss stumbled over. "This is my fault." Weiss said. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm just glad you're alright." Blake said. She managed a smile.

"Blake I…" Weiss trailed off.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"Adam attacked us after Pyrrha left." Weiss replied. "We were no match for him. He destroyed the Falchion. Blake...stepped between us to save me."

"You're alive and that's what matters." Blake said.

"I feel like I'm missing something." Ruby observed.

"We'll talk about it later." Weiss said. "What happened on your end?"

"Raven attacked us." Ruby replied. "She hurt Yang really bad but Pyrrha showed up just in time to save her. Then she shot Pyrrha down. She was going to execute Yang and I attacked. Raven just stood there while I beat her up. She kept calling me Summer. Then she asked me to kill her. I couldn't do it." Ruby started crying as the memories came flooding back.

"Did she escape?" Weiss asked.

"No, she didn't." Yang said, riding up on Zwei. Raven's corpse was draped over the back of the horse.

"I killed her." Pyrrha said.

"It had to be done." Yang said. "Now her suffering has ended."

Weiss sighed. "I fear ours has only begun."


	20. Recovery

Chapter 20

With everyone as patched up as possible, the group was soon on the move again. Ren shared a horse with Nora, the latter too injured to ride on her own. Her wound may have been closed but she had lost a lot of blood. Blake, in a similarly weakened state and still in shock from the loss of her eye, rode with Weiss. They reached the village of Nikopolis in late afternoon. They had been so close to safety, yet so far. They would spend the night, replenish their supplies, then leave for Ferox the next day.

Pyrrha was almost uninjured, certainly in better shape than most of the others, and set about taking care of business. The arrangements for the group's continued travel were set up and a quick funeral for Raven scheduled for the following morning. The rest went to the hospital. After the Plegian attack on the village even Pyrrha's personal clerics were there, dealing with the aftermath. Ren was unhurt but stayed at Nora's side. The healers wanted her to spend the night so they could continue their work and Ren decided to stay as well. The rest were checked, given potions to bolster their conditions, and released. They soon met up with Pyrrha and headed for her manor where they would spend the night.

* * *

Qrow's scouts told him the Imperial Army was close, perhaps a day away. Riding under the flag of truce, an Imperial messenger approached his defensive line. On Qrow's orders he was allowed through one of the gates in the wall and brought to the command tent. "Are you here to parley?" Qrow asked.

"In a manner of speaking." The messenger replied. "I'm here to deliver an offer, but not authorized to negotiate."

"Let's hear it." Glynda said.

"The Duchess of Rosanne offers an unharried retreat to all forces from Ylisse." The messenger said. "Any Ylissean forces that return to their homeland will not be pursued, and if a full withdrawal is carried out there will be no war between the Empire and Ylisse. Any Feroxi soldiers of common rank who surrender will be spared."

"And the nobles?" Glynda asked.

"Nobles are to be executed, though the duchess will allow you to flee into exile." The messenger answered.

"I'm not going anywhere, and neither is my army." Qrow said. Glynda nodded.

"Very well." The messenger said. "I also have a message."

"So say it." Qrow commanded.

"Khan James has been personally executed by the Duchess of Rosanne in accordance with the orders of the Emperor." The messenger said. "His death was swift and painless, and he was given a proper burial befitting his station."

Qrow shook his head. Glynda stood motionless and impassive. "Is that all?" Qrow asked.

"Yes." The messenger replied.

"Then go." Qrow sighed. The messenger had clearly not been expecting such a reaction and hesitated before finally departing. "Are you alright?" Qrow asked Glynda once they were alone.

"I'm fine." Glynda answered.

"You just found out your husband died, I wouldn't hold it against you if…" Qrow started.

"I'm fine." Glynda cut him off. "I knew he was dead as soon as word of the Imperial Army's arrival reached me. Now, I must see to the election of a new Khan."

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Qrow offered.

"I won't." Glynda said. She headed for the exit but stopped and turned around. "But thank you."

* * *

Pyrrha and Ruby left the others to go relax together. Weiss and Yang remained with Blake, worried about both her physical and psychological condition. The most worrying part was that Blake did not even say anything. She showed no emotion at all. They moved through the manor, heading for the wing where their rooms would be, and arrived at a hallway lined with mirrors on both sides. Blake stopped short.

"You're afraid to see yourself, aren't you?" Weiss asked.

"Wouldn't you be?" Blake shot back. "I just had my face mangled and everyone looks at me with horror and pity in their eyes."

"I'm not ridiculing you." Weiss said. "When I received my scar I had a hard time looking at myself. But it's something you're going to have to do eventually."

"It's not even that bad." Yang said. "Just take a look."

"Must I?" Blake asked. Weiss and Yang both nodded. "Fine." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking a few steps toward where she knew a mirror would be. Summoning all her courage she finally gazed upon her face. Blake had expected to recoil in horror from her own appearance but did not. She was not as disfigured as she had imagined, though it was still bad. A pink scar ran from her forehead, almost at her hairline, all the way down to her chin, cutting across her eye as it went. A red streak on her dead eye lined up with the scar, completing the wound track.

"See, not so bad." Yang encouraged.

Blake smirked. "I finally look as hideous on the outside as I do on the inside." She sighed.

"Blake, you're not hideous, and you're a good person." Weiss said.

"Am I though?" Blake snapped. "I'm a coward who helped my sworn enemy rather than accept an honorable death. Then, when I learned that enemy was not the monster I had envisioned, I was too stubborn, too scared, to admit it to her. When I grew to love her, I was too afraid to say anything."

"Whoa, love her...you mean Weiss?" Yang gasped.

"Yes, I mean Weiss." Blake said. "My hatred was wrong and I'm ashamed. Ashamed both for harboring it and for not being strong enough to admit my mistake and apologize. Weiss, you're the antithesis of what I imagined a Schnee was. You're generous, brave and just. You've shown me kindness I did not deserve and I've repaid you with insults. I love you, but I know I'm unworthy. You deserve better than a coward."

"Nonsense." Weiss said. "You're not a coward. A coward would not have stepped between me and Adam. A coward would not have traveled to Chon'sin to try to stop my father's plot. A coward would have fled at the first sign of trouble, but here you are, still at my side. You're far from a coward and far from unworthy."

"Yeah, you're kind of angsty, but you're pretty great." Yang added.

"You don't have to lie to me just to make me feel better." Blake said.

"I'm not lying and neither is Yang." Weiss said. Yang nodded her agreement. "The only person who doesn't believe in you is you."

"I very much want to kiss you now, but I fear Yang's wrath." Blake said.

"Go for it." Yang said. "I won't be mad."

"Princess?" Blake said.

"Come here." Weiss said. Blake at first wrapped Weiss in a tight embrace, tears in her eyes as she rested her head on the princess' shoulder. Then, after backing out slightly and taking a deep breath they kissed.

"I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming." Yang said as Weiss and Blake stood before her, their lips interlocked. "That's really good, now rub scars."

Weiss and Blake broke their kiss and glared at Yang. "That's really disturbing." Weiss said.

"You know you're into it." Yang laughed. "I hate to step between the two of you, but the princess and I kind of had a thing going."

"And we still do." Weiss said, raising a hand to caress Yang's cheek.

"I don't know about you, but I think Blake's pretty great." Yang said. "And adding a third sounds like a lot of fun."

"I'm not opposed to the idea." Weiss agreed.

"Well, I know you like Weiss." Yang said, turning to Blake. "How do you feel about me?"

"You're hot and you've been incredibly kind to me." Blake said. "How do you think I feel about you?"

"I guess that settles it." Yang said. She put her arms around Weiss' and Blake's shoulders and pulled them together for a hug. "This is awesome."

"And Blake can transform into a cat." Weiss said. A look of shock flashed across Yang's face and she released the pair.

"Oh yeah, you weren't there." Blake said. "You're not the only shapeshifter. And it's more of a panther."

"I thought puma but alright." Weiss shrugged.

"This is so hot!" Yang exclaimed.

* * *

"But I feel fine." Nora complained. "I want to go to Pyrrha's with everyone else."

"The clerics think it's best for you to stay here for the night." Ren said. "They want to do more treatments, just in case. Your health is the most important thing."

"I said I'm fine." Nora repeated. "And this place is boring. And the room is stuffy."

"You're still in pain." Ren said. "I can tell. You need more treatments before you'll be healthy. Please stay so they can help you."

"It's like being in prison." Nora groaned.

"How about this?" Ren started. "Just come back to your room when the healers need to do their work. The rest of the time we can walk around the grounds. Besides, it'll be night soon and you'll sleep anyway."

"Fine." Nora sighed. "As long as you stick around."

"Of course." Ren said. "I'm not going anywhere."

"It'll be sunset soon." Nora observed. "Let's go up to the roof and watch. It's so pretty here."

"Seems like the same sunset as always to me, but alright." Ren shrugged.

The pair ascended the stone stairs to the roof. Though now used as a hospital, in more desperate times it had served as a strongpoint in the village's defenses. Once there Nora sat with her back against one of the low walls that lined the roof, facing the setting sun. Ren sat down beside her. The sky was already a mixture of yellows and oranges as the sun approached the horizon.

"I wanted to thank you, for saving me today." Nora said.

"It was nothing." Ren said.

"It wasn't nothing." Nora said. "You sucked the life out of yourself to keep me alive."

"I would never let you die." Ren declared. "Ever. Even if it means my own death."

"You know, I was really afraid." Nora sighed. "Not afraid of dying really, afraid...afraid that I'd never see you again. I'm afraid of that a lot. Every time I do something stupid and you have to clean up after me, I'm scared you'll decide it's not worth putting up with me anymore and leave. I know I'm a handful and it must be really hard to be around someone like me and I don't want you to go. I just...you're so awesome and you've always been so nice to me. No one else has ever treated me like you do. I feel like even if I had nothing if you were there for me it would be alright. So please, please don't leave me."

"I would never leave you." Ren said. "Why would you be worried about that?"

"It's...I...well...when I…" Nora stammered. "I love you!" She finally blurted out. "You make life worth living for me and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I know you love me." Ren said, impassive as ever.

"And I really...what?!" Nora yelled.

"You love me and I love you." Ren continued.

"You...love me?" Nora gasped.

"Of course." Ren confirmed. "Did you not know? I'm aware that I'm not great at interpersonal interaction, but I thought it was pretty clear."

"Oh Ren!" Nora exclaimed. She leaned over and hugged him tightly as tears of joy welled in her eyes. He gently draped his hands over her back. "You have no idea how happy I am right now! I always hoped you could love me but I never thought you would."

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember." Ren said. "You're a bright light in a dark world. Without you, it's not a world worth living in."

"Ren…" Nora said. They gazed into each other's' eyes for a moment. Ren just barely managed a smile, an extravagant show of emotion by his standards. Nora threw herself on him, knocking both flat on the roof. As Ren scrambled to figure out what was going on Nora locked her lips around his. He figured it out, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the bliss of the moment.

* * *

Pyrrha and Ruby entered Pyrrha's bedroom through a side door, each clad only in a towel. "It was so refreshing to take a real bath." Ruby said. "And I still can't believe you have a private bathhouse attached to your chambers. Even Weiss didn't have that."

"My parents were very fond of bathing." Pyrrha said. "They gave generously of their fortune but this was one indulgence they reserved for themselves." Ruby let her towel drop to the floor and laid down on the bed. "Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"Nah." Ruby said. "I don't feel like it."

"I would expect something like this from your sister, but not from you." Pyrrha observed.

"What's the problem?" Ruby asked. "Who's going to see me? You should give it a shot. It's liberating."

"I don't think so." Pyrrha said. She was beginning to blush and was careful to avert her gaze. "And I'm going to see you."

Ruby sat up on the bed. "We're girlfriends, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yes." Pyrrha confirmed.

"And you love me?" Ruby asked.

"Of course." Pyrrha replied. Something about Ruby's tone drew Pyrrha over. She sat down beside Ruby, her towel still wrapped around her.

"Maybe we should...do what people who love each other do." Ruby said.

"Ruby...are you saying…" Pyrrha started.

"When I look at you, I think of things." Ruby said, a loving look in her silver eyes. "A lot of things, things I feel, things I want to do, things I want to feel, and I can't keep them bottled up anymore...but I don't want to be selfish. Am I asking too much?"

Pyrrha was taken aback. She could feel the blood rushing to her face as it no doubt reddened. Her heart raced. She took a deep breath, put her hand on the side of Ruby's face and pulled her in for a kiss. Quickly she pulled back, gazing once again into those silver eyes. "You could never ask too much of me."

* * *

The next morning came all too soon. As much as the group would have liked to spend another night in Nikopolis, they had to move on. They had a mission to complete. Just after sunrise, Weiss, Yang and Blake arrived at the prearranged meeting point near the front gate of Pyrrha's manor. Their night had been a relaxing one spent together. Unfortunately it was all too short. The others were late but it was not a big deal. No one really wanted to go anyway.

"So, Blake, going to get a sweet eye patch?" Yang asked to break the unbearable silence.

"No." Blake replied.

"Oh, why not?" Yang asked.

"I want a visible reminder of what happened, of the person I've become." Blake said. "And I'm done covering up."

"That's very deep." Weiss said.

"And have you seen my eye?" Blake continued. "This is the kind of thing that strikes fear in your enemies."

"I feel like you've been spending too much time with Yang." Weiss groaned. Blake and Yang shrugged.

The sound of footsteps in the gravel announced the approach of Ruby and Pyrrha. They walked down the path holding hands, exchanging furtive glances. "You did it, didn't you?" Yang blurted out. She could tell just by the way they were acting. She figured the others could tell too.

"Yang!" Weiss exclaimed.

"We did!" Ruby replied.

"Ruby!" Pyrrha gasped.

"Nora!" Nora shouted, approaching with Ren from the other direction.

"How was it?" Yang asked, ignoring the both approach of Ren and Nora and the embarrassed look on Pyrrha's face. "You have to tell me all the details."

"It was great." Ruby said. "We…"

"I think we should get going." Pyrrha cut her off, her face bright red. "Remember, there's somewhere we need to go before we depart."

"Oh yeah." Yang groaned. "Right. Lead the way."

The group collected their horses and Pyrrha's Pegasus from a servant waiting near the gate. They rode a short distance before arriving at a cemetery. The ground was normally reserved for nobles. All of Pyrrha's forebears had been buried there, her parents included. Now a commoner would join them in the sacred ground. A monk was already waiting, and the casket was suspended over the open grave. The group approached in solemn silence, surrounding the casket. "Would anyone like to say a few words about the deceased?" The monk asked.

"I guess I should say something." Yang sighed. "She was my mother." The monk took a step back and she took his spot at the head of the casket. "Raven wasn't a good mother. I never got to know her but from what I've heard, she wasn't even a good person. By the time we met she was bloodthirsty and mad. But she was not entirely without virtue. She believed deeply in her cause, and though her methods were brutal and her aims questionable, she fought without sacrificing her beliefs. Her death was a good one. She was aware of the wrongs she had committed and ready to die to atone for them. In the end she died a warrior, and on the field of battle there is no good or evil, just valor and pain, and both she had in abundance. Now, in death, she finally has peace." Yang bowed her head and said a few private words before stepping back into her previous position beside the monk.

"Anyone else?" The monk asked.

"I...I just want to say...I forgive you." Ruby said. "I forgive you for killing my mother."

"And Yang, I hope you can forgive me for killing yours." Pyrrha said.

"I hold no ill will, and neither would she." Yang said. "You set her free."

Once it was clear that no one else had anything to say, the monk said prayers commending Raven's soul to the gods and the casket was lowered into the ground. The group departed and continued on their journey. By nightfall they would likely be with Qrow and his army, facing the Imperial forces under Winter. A reckoning was coming and everyone knew it. The sadness over Raven's death and the pain of the group's injuries was likely only a prelude to the suffering they lie ahead.


	21. Champions

**Author's Note:** Act II is rapidly approaching it's conclusion. Next week I'll be taking a break from this story to post the first two chapters of a new one.

* * *

Chapter 21

Qrow looked on as the Imperial Army marched toward his fortifications, deploying into battle order as they entered the valley before him. The archers and mages readied as theirs would be the first parts played in the event of an immediate attack, but Qrow was fairly sure there would be no serious fighting that day. The Imperials had marched many miles and were surely tired. They would also want to soften up the defenses with artillery first. And so it proved as the great mass of soldiers stopped just out of bow range. The remainder of the force marched into position, along with siege machines, and then there was an eerie silence as the two armies stared at one another.

"Bombard them." Qrow ordered. "Target their artillery. All units are to fire on my order." Messengers spread through the army, commanding the artillery crews into readiness. Catapults and trebuchets were loaded and primed, awaiting the order to fire. When the messengers returned to inform Qrow that all was ready, he gave the signal. Trumpets blared up and down the line and the massive siege engines loosed their shots. Huge stones and fiery shells filled with flammable material rained down on the Imperial forces.

The Imperials soon responded in kind. Their siege machines were larger and more numerous, but the defenders had pre-sighted their weapons and the first few volleys disabled many Imperial weapons while they were still getting their range. The balance soon shifted however as sheer weight of numbers won out. In less than an hour all the defenders' heavy artillery was destroyed. Qrow knew it would be, but he hoped he had done enough damage to buy some time. Every day the combined forces of Ferox and Ylisse grew larger as more and more newly levied soldiers arrived. They would never make up the difference in numbers, but every soldier helped.

With the defenders' siege engines silenced the Imperial artillery shifted focus to the great palisade that traversed the valley and the obstacles in front of it. Parts of the wall were frequently leveled but the defenders immediately repaired them. It was just wood, and they had plenty on hand to make quick repairs. What could not be fixed was damage done to the obstacles ahead of the wall. Rubble began to fill the defensive ditch and the traps laid before them were obliterated. A day or two of bombardment would leave nothing but the wall between the two armies, and Qrow was not confident that it would be enough to ensure victory.

After observing the onslaught for some time, Qrow returned to his command tent, located a safe distance behind the wall. Khan Glynda was waiting. "The new South Khan has been selected." Glynda reported. "She's the successor James himself selected before his death. All that remains is to introduce her to the troops."

"So send out messengers." Qrow said. "I've got more important things to worry about."

"I actually had something else in mind." Glynda said. "Something that could give our soldiers a boost."

"Interesting." Qrow said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you planning?"

"Well, first I'll need a brief truce." Glynda replied. "That artillery fire will ruin my idea."

* * *

A Pegasus rider flying the flag of truce took to the skies from behind the wall and flew over the Imperial Army. The rider landed amongst the soldiers and requested to be taken to the Duchess of Rosanne. In minutes she was taken to Winter. "If you're here to negotiate terms know that I've already made my final offer." Winter warned.

"I come with a proposal of a different sort." The rider said.

"I'm listening." Winter said.

"We request a single combat, a champion of Ferox against a champion of Valm." The rider said. "The combat would take place between the lines in view of both armies. There is to be no outside interference. All that is required is a ceasefire for the duration of the duel."

"And the winner gets what?" Winter asked. "Is this to be take place in lieu of battle?"

"No." The rider replied. "This is simply a test of individual strength and honor, nothing more, nothing less."

Winter thought for a moment. If the Valmese champion lost the combat it would surely demoralize her force while giving a boost to the defenders. On the other hand, if her champion won, the situation would be reversed and victory achieved more easily. Winter was confident in both her army and her ability to select an unbeatable fighter. "I accept." Winter said. "Our artillery will stop firing at midday tomorrow. If your champion does not immediately come out to fight, our bombardment will resume."

"Very well." The rider said. "I will inform my commanders."

* * *

Weiss and her group rode all day and all night, finally reaching Qrow's army after dark. They were taken directly to his command tent. Qrow looked up as his nieces entered and smiled. "You're okay." He said, breathing a sigh of relief. Then he saw the scars and his smile disappeared. "But something's happened."

"Many things have happened." Weiss said.

"Raven attacked us again." Yang said. "We had a dragon fight. I lost."

"You're lucky to be alive." Qrow said.

"Yeah…" Yang sighed. "Raven...she's dead. I'm sorry."

Qrow took a deep breath. "Don't be." He said. "It's a relief. Now I don't have to worry about her hurting anyone. And she can finally be at peace. How did she die?"

"I killed her." Pyrrha said. "She surrendered to Ruby, calling her Summer, and asked to be killed. Ruby could not go through with it. I offered, but I will not kill an unarmed foe. I told Raven to take up her sword and fight me. I pierced her heart with my lance."

"She let you kill her." Qrow said.

"I assumed as much." Pyrrha agreed. "She was given a proper burial in a nobleman's cemetery."

"That's probably a better end than she could have expected." Qrow sighed. "What happened to Blake? Given Blake's lineage Raven would not have harmed her."

"Raven's ally Adam Taurus attacked us as well." Weiss said. "Blake stood between us to save my life."

"I never thought I'd see the day, you defending a Schnee." Qrow said.

"I bet you never thought I'd get romantic with one either." Blake said.

"Wow Yang, that was over quick." Qrow said, trying to add a little levity to the conversation.

"Weiss and I are actually still together." Yang said. "It's the three of us now."

"Gods, you certainly take after your father." Qrow laughed. "So, I assume you met with the Exalt. How'd it go? I'm guessing he gave support for an invasion of Valm if we can stop Winter."

"I don't really know how to say this…" Weiss started. "The Exalt wanted us to give this to you." She presented the small box the group had been entrusted with in Ylisstol.

Qrow took the box and opened it. "The Exalt's signet and seal...Gods…" Qrow gasped.

"Queen Cinder of Plegia cursed him." Weiss explained. "When we met with him he was on his deathbed."

The box also contained a letter. Qrow read it with tears in his eyes. "He was a good friend." Qrow wept. "And now this...it's too much."

"What does it say?" Ruby asked.

"It's the Exalt's will." Qrow replied. "I...I'm the new Exalt."

Weiss immediately bowed and the rest of her group followed. "Your Majesty." She said.

"But I don't have Exalted Blood." Qrow said. "Who will defend the world? Who will wield the Falchion. I cannot."

"I have Exalted Blood." Weiss said. "Through my late mother. The Exalt entrusted me with the Falchion and the Fire Emblem. Though I fear he misjudged."

"If he trusted you, I trust you." Qrow said.

"The Falchion was destroyed." Weiss admitted. "I used it to defend myself against Adam, but his blade cut through it like it was made of paper." Nora handed Weiss the case containing the two halves of the Falchion and the Fire Emblem. Weiss opened it to show Qrow.

"This is a tragedy." Qrow said. "The Exalt's death, the destruction of this legendary weapon, this war. It feels like the end of the world, and now it might well be. Without the Falchion there is no defense against a successor to Grima. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Weiss asked.

"I have an idea, but it will have to wait." Qrow said. "Now you should rest. We can discuss strategy in the morning."

* * *

Weiss, Yang and Pyrrha arrived at Qrow's command tent just after sunrise. Qrow looked as though he had not slept at all. He probably had not. "What's the plan?" Yang asked.

"I don't really have one." Qrow sighed. "I was hoping to hold out until the Imperial Army ran out of supplies but my scouts tell me they've got enough for a prolonged siege. We might even run out before they do."

"So we destroy their supplies." Weiss suggested. "Where are they located."

"Behind their army, well to the rear." Qrow said. "Even if we had artillery we wouldn't be able to reach them, and there's no way we could fight our way through their forces."

"We could sneak around them." Pyrrha said. "We snuck around the Plegian armies, and the terrain around here would make stealth even easier."

"It's suicide." Qrow said. "Once you've destroyed their supplies, assuming you even get that far, you're going to be trapped behind their army with no support. They won't take you prisoner either."

"If it's the only way to stop them we'll do it." Weiss said. "Suicide or not, that army must be defeated. My father cannot be allowed to rule the world."

"I'm not going to send my nieces to their deaths." Qrow said.

"Neither will I." Weiss said. "But you know as well as I do that they're going to volunteer, and nothing you or I say will dissuade them. Now that we know what must be done, it's going to be done, no matter the risks."

"I know." Qrow sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, I will do everything in my power to protect Yang and Ruby." Pyrrha said. "They will survive, even if none of the rest of us do."

"Since there's no stopping you...fine." Qrow relented. "There's only one thing. There will be a short truce at midday to allow for a single combat between champions of the respective armies. You are not to attack before or during the truce. Attacking later would be wise as the cover of darkness may aid your escape."

"But they'll probably return to camp at night." Pyrrha pointed out. "We'll need to attack before that or we won't be able to get near our target."

"So we'll attack at dusk." Weiss said. "We'll head out immediately to sneak into position. We'll require maps of the area."

"Here." Qrow reached into a box of scrolls and pulled one out. "This map shows all the trails through the forest." He sighed. "Good luck...and...come back alive."

"Don't worry." Yang said. "If I can survive a dragon fight with Raven, I can survive anything."

"Yeah." Qrow said, managing a smile. "You'll be alright."

* * *

As promised the unrelenting barrage from the Imperial artillery stopped at midday. An unsettling silence prevailed. A gate near the center of the defensive wall creaked open and out stepped a short ginger girl. The gate was quickly closed and barred behind her. She was clad in light leather armor, carrying a sword in one hand and a tome in the other. She walked toward the Imperial Army. There was no need to be careful about where she stepped. The obstacles that had once separated the two armies had since been chewed up by the siege engines and all that remained was a cratered landscape.

A few dozen yards from the wall the ground leveled off where it had not been bombarded. The girl found a particularly clear spot and stopped. There was some commotion among the Imperial soldiers and soon a towering giant of a man pushed his way through the lines. Apparently he was their champion. The man was at least 7 feet tall, clad head to toe in heavy plate armor, and carried a broadaxe. The ease with which he casually swung the weapon about attested to his immense strength.

The giant stopped a few feet from the girl, rested his axe over his shoulder and lifted his face-shield. "You're Ferox's champion?" The man laughed heartily. "You're nothing but a child! If this is the best Ferox has…"

"I'm not a child." The girl cut him off. "I'm a Khan. South Khan Penny."

"Well, South Khan Penny, I hope you've enjoyed your reign." The giant said. "It's going to be very short."

"Shall we fight?" Penny asked, ignoring the insults.

"Yeah, let's get this over with." The giant said. "Your head's gonna' look real pretty on the end of a pike." He lowered his face-shield and readed his weapon.

Penny made the first move, charging straight at her colossal opponent. He swung his axe around, hard enough that his whole body spun with it. Penny ducked under the attack, slashing at the giant's leg as the did. Her blade cleaved the armor on his left knee and sliced into his flesh. Already off balance from his swing, the man fell to his knee, bracing himself by putting a hand on the ground. He swung his axe again, less coordinated this time, and Penny backed up, just out of range. She opened her tome, spoke a spell, and held out her sword. Electricity flew from the blade and arced across the giant's armor. The man roared in pain, writing for a few seconds before dropping to his hands and knees. Penny stepped forward, raised her blade, and brought it down on the back of the giant's neck, severing his head in a single stroke.

With that Penny stepped back, dragged the flat of her blade across her arm to clean off the blood, then did the same to the other side before sheathing it. She slipped the tome into a satchel slung over her shoulder. Emotionless, she walked back toward the defensive wall just as she had left it. A great cheer rose up from the Ylissean and Feroxi forces. Shouted chants began. "All hail Khan Penny!" Penny smiled as she heard the cheering. All her life she had been prepared for this moment. She had never imagined it would come so soon, and the death of her mentor had been a horrible shock, but she had acquitted herself nicely and done him proud.

While the defenders celebrated wildly, the situation on the other side was very different. The Imperial soldiers were stunned. Not only had their most powerful warrior been felled by a tiny girl, that little girl had killed him effortlessly. If she entered the fray, what hope did any of the others have? Discontented whispers began to spread. The officers did their best to assuage the fears of their men. "It was a bad matchup." "She can't take all of us." "It was a lucky shot." "She cheated." It seemed to calm the soldiers but they had clearly been shaken.

The defenders, once despairing of their chances, now felt victory was assured. The Imperials' most powerful warrior had turned out to be a paper tiger. The idea that they were somehow invincible was destroyed. They could be beaten, and soundly at that. Plus they had a new hero to rally around. More was to come. Qrow had gathered his lieutenants. They spread through the army, and ordered the soldiers to meet around a hastily assembled platform behind the center of the wall.

Qrow ascended the platform. Once atop it he briefly surveyed his troops. He took a deep breath. "I have sad news from the capital." He said. There was some whispering between soldiers. "Exalt Ozpin has passed." There were gasps and shocked shouts. "He has named me his successor."

There was a short silence, no one sure how to react to the news. An officer scrambled up onto the platform, followed by his squad of soldiers. They lifted Qrow up on their shields. "Long live the Exalt!" The officer shouted. His men repeated the cry. Soon the shouts spread through the entire army. Even the Feroxi soldiers still manning the wall joined in the shouts. Despite hearing that Ozpin was dead, the soldiers' morale was boosted. Now the Exalt himself was watching them, leading them, sharing their peril. It was the ultimate in leadership. Even Qrow now dared to hope they could be victorious.

* * *

Weiss led her group through the winding forest trails that ran alongside the Imperial Army. They could hear shouting and cheering, along with the crash of artillery, as they continued along. The commotion briefly stopped. Soon after the sound of siege engines returned but the cheering did not. Something had clearly happened during the truce to silence the Imperial soldiers. There was not time to concern themselves with that though. They had to focus on being as stealthy as possible. If they were caught their mission would be a failure. Their very survival, perhaps the fate of the world, depended on them reaching the rear of the Imperial Army unnoticed.

Pyrrha's Pegasus could at times be ornery but she continually fed it treats and it kept quiet and obedient. Zwei needed no such encouragement and silently trotted along. Ren cast a spell on Nora that silenced her speech, just in case. The trail they followed was far narrower, more mountainous and less well-kept than anything they had encountered in Plegia. It was just as well. The thick cover would hide them very effectively and the myriad obstructions would block the sound of their footfalls.

After walking for some time the group reached the edge of the forest near where the Imperial Army was keeping its supplies. Yang scanned the area. "A few dozen guards." She reported. "No archers or mages."

"I should be free to take to the air then." Pyrrha said.

"The wagons are all clustered together." Yang continued. "One good fire should take them all out. Unfortunately there's a stream nearby. We can't let the fire be put out."

"We'll just have to eliminate the guards then." Blake said. "If there's no one alive, there will be no one to put out the fire."

"We don't have time for prisoners." Weiss said. "Incapacitate those that resist. If any flee, let them go. Damnit we're outnumbered by a lot."

"I have a plan." Pyrrha said. "I just hope my Pegasus will go along with it."


	22. Winter

**Author's Note:** This is the final chapter of Act II. Next week I'll be taking a break from this story to post the first two chapters of a new one.

* * *

Chapter 22

The sun was just beginning to set and soon the Imperial Army would be returning to its camp for the night. It had been a demoralizing and exhausting day spent standing in the sun. Though their spirits were higher, the defenders were similarly tired. They had spent the day manning the palisade, scrambling to repair breaches as soon as the Imperial artillery created them. Soon most of them would return to camp as well. There was still a little over an hour of daylight though, and none on either side could afford to rest just yet.

Far behind the Imperial line, near the area used as their camp, their supply wagons were arranged in rows and guarded by a few dozen soldiers. For them the day had been boring. They were hardly participants in the siege. It was not all bad though. At least they were relatively safe, far as they were from the front line. Soon the shift would change for the night and they could rest. After a long stretch of inaction they were complacent and off their guard. _Thump_. Most of the guards hardly noticed the dull noise. Those that looked were horrified. _Whoosh_! A flaming arrow had come out the sky and landed in a cart full of fodder for the animals. The dry plant material instantly erupted in flames.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._ Three more wagons were set alight. The guards searched for the source of the attack. "There!" One shouted, pointing to the sky. A lone Pegasus with two riders circled above. Flaming arrows rained down onto the supply wagons.

"Get the wagons to the river!" One of the other guards shouted. A line of fire streaked across the ground and engulfed the unlucky man. He screamed and flailed before falling over dead. Some of the guards panicked and fled. The rest started to take up fighting positions as more and more wagons were set on fire.

Electricity arced from the forest, hitting a guard. He convulsed before falling to the ground where he lay motionless. The others rushed toward the source of the attack when suddenly a quartet of fighters emerged on their flank. Another blast of electricity felled one of the guards while the others came under attack. Weiss ran one through with her blade before he could react. Nora struck one in the chest with her hammer, sending him flying through the air into one of his fellows, taking them both out of the fight. Yang rushed in close. A guard slashed at her with his blade but she ducked the attack and punched him in the throat. The guard made a choking noise and clutched his neck as he fell. With a quick pair of slashes Blake cut down two more guards. The rest fled, leaving the supply wagons undefended.

Ren emerged from the forest to join Weiss in setting the remaining wagons alight. Pyrrha landed her Pegasus nearby, she and Ruby hopping off. Given its fear of arrows it had taken a lot of encouragement for Pyrrha to get her Pegasus to accept an archer as its rider but it had paid off. Just minutes from the start of the attack it was already over. All the wagons were on fire. Food for the Imperial soldiers and their animals went up in smoke along with their medical supplies and the money sent along to pay them. The group's surprise had been complete and their success thorough.

"We should probably get out of here." Yang suggested. "We don't want to be around when reinforcements arrive."

"I think it's too late for that." Blake groaned. Soon the others could hear it too. There were soldiers approaching. Many soldiers.

* * *

Winter observed her army from a hill just to their rear. The artillery barrage was in full force and had pretty much obliterated the defenses, except for the palisade that was constantly rebuilt. Despite the setback of the duel earlier in the day things were going well. By the following day the defenders might be softened up sufficiently to allow for an attack. Winter knew she could probably overwhelm them now by sheer force of numbers, but she did not want to waste the lives of her me. This might be the last great battle of the war but there were surely more sieges to come as individual cities held out. She would need every last soldier.

Winter became aware of a commotion to the rear of the army. Soon a panicked soldier rushed up to her. "What's going on?" Winter demanded. "Report!"

"They supply wagons are under attack!" The soldier announced. "There were too many of them. We were overwhelmed."

"How the hell did the get behind us?!" Winter shouted. "How many?"

"Hundreds!" The terrified soldier replied. "They were everywhere."

"That's absurd." Winter scoffed. "Our scouts would have noticed." She looked to her army. Most of her commanders were engaged in keeping the front-line units in order. One had soldiers not integral to the position though. "Xiao-Long!" Winter shouted.

Taiyang rode his horse over to Winter. "What is it Your Majesty?" He asked.

"Something's going on with the supply wagons." Winter said. "Take the reserves and investigate."

"Yes ma'am!" Taiyang said with a salute. He rode off to gather his units.

* * *

The sound of pounding hooves echoed through the trees. Weiss and her group backed up, knowing they could not run and expect to live. They would have to fight. A wedge of mounted knights burst from the forest, charging straight toward the group. At their head was a man in ornate armor with a golden dragon on his chestplate. Beside him was his standard bearer, holding a flag bearing a red dragon on a yellow field.

"I know that insignia!" Yang announced. She rushed forward, Ruby close behind.

"Dad!" Ruby cried out.

The knight in ornate armor pulled up short and the rest of the soldiers slid to a stop with him. Taiyang took off his helmet, staring in disbelief as his daughters rushed towards him. "What are your orders general?" One of the knights asked.

"Stand down." Taiyang commanded. He jumped down from his horse and staggered forward. His men started to follow but he waved them back.

"Dad!" Ruby shouted. She leapt toward Taiyang and embraced him. Yang stopped a few feet away.

"You're...alive…" Taiyang said with tears in his eyes. "They said...they said you were murdered."

"It's all lies." Yang said. "The emperor tried to have Weiss killed so we fled."

"The emperor...that doesn't make sense." Taiyang said. "I can't believe you're alive. They brought me your ashes."

"We're not dead." Ruby said. "We're right here. I missed you so much."

"I...thought I'd never see you again." Taiyang wept. He dropped to his knees. The rest of the group cautiously approached. Taiyang spotted Weiss. He separated himself from Ruby and prostrated himself before the princess. "Your Majesty, thank you for saving my daughters."

"Arise." Weiss said. "There is no need to thank me. They have been my saviors. My father arranged my murder and that of my mother, but we were able to escape. Now we must stop him. Will you help us?"

"Of course Your Majesty." Taiyang said. He turned to his daughters. "What happened?"

"A lot." Ruby said.

"But we'll get to that later." Yang said. "I have a plan."

* * *

With all the supernatural speed afforded by her weapon, Ruby rode through the forest back toward the defensive line. In minutes she reached it and immediately headed for Qrow. She burst into his command tent. "Uncle Qrow!" She gasped, out of breath. "You need to attack the Imperial Army right now!"

* * *

Winter waited to hear back from Taiyang. She was growing worried. It was taking far too long. She wanted to send more soldiers, just in case, but she had none to spare. Soon she could hear the pounding hooves of Taiyang's cavalry. Finally. But something was off. They were not heading for her. She had positioned herself on a hill to the rear and left of the army where she could have the best view of the battlefield. They were headed straight for the rear of the army. But why? Right behind the horsemen, Taiyang's infantry emerged from the forest with a battle cry. "What treachery?!" Winter screamed. Taiyang's soldiers slammed into the rear of the Imperial Army, cutting down the stunned soldiers before they could react. The only troops with Winter were her personal bodyguard of loyal retainers. "Damnit! Attack the traitors!"

Winter's bodyguards rushed down the hill and into the melee. The Imperial soldiers turned around and began fighting against Taiyang's reserve force. He commanded a large fraction of the army, but he would be overwhelmed soon enough. Then trumpets blared across the battlefield. The gates in the defensive palisade swung open and the defenders came pouring out. They quickly crossed the no-man's-land and collided with the Imperial Army. They were now being attacked from the front and back. With the steep sides of the valley pinning them in place they were trapped.

The Imperial soldiers fought bravely but it was hopeless. As their formations started to crack they surrendered in droves. Soon the entire army was shattered. Winter could do nothing but stand there and watch in horror as her army effectively ceased to exist. Even the few officers and advisors who had remained on the hill with her fled, leaving her alone. A small group made its way up the hill towards her. The person walking at its head filled her with both joy and terror. "Weiss…" Winter gasped.

"Winter!" Weiss called back, the rest of her group arrayed behind her. "Our father has betrayed us! He arranged the murder of our mother and tried to have me killed as well. He must be stopped."

"I feared as much." Winter said. Weiss approached her. Winter drew her sword. "Don't come any closer. I don't want to fight you."

"Winter please!" Weiss implored. "Join us. Together we can stop him." She took another step forward.

"I said stay back!" Winter shouted. With a flick of her wrist a column of flame erupted from the ground in front of Weiss. "I want to join you...but I can't."

"But...but why?" Weiss stammered.

"Father...he...he has...he has Willow." Winter said with a look of anguish etched on her face. "He said he'd kill her if I failed to conquer Ferox."

"Willow?" Weiss gasped. "But why?" Willow was Winter's daughter, next in line to the throne after Winter. The last time Weiss and Winter had met face-to-face had been at the celebration of Willow's birth. Their father had been there, and he too had seemed overjoyed. Through her the continuation of his dynasty was assured. Now he used her as a hostage, threatening her death. It made no sense.

"I never believed you were dead." Winter said. "He must have sensed my doubts. His men seized Willow and he told me to come back a conqueror or not at all, otherwise she would be killed." Winter looked at her sword. "With the army gone, there is no hope of conquest."

"Winter…" Weiss said. "Please, join us. We can stop him. We can save Willow."

"No, if I betray father Willow will be dead long before we can do anything about it." Winter said. "You know what I must do."

"Winter, don't!" Weiss yelled.

"I'm sorry." Winter said. "Goodbye sister." She raised her sword and drew the blade across her throat. She dropped the weapon as a spray of blood shot from the wound then fell in a heap, dead.

"No!" Weiss cried, sprinting forward. She slid to her sister's side, tears running down her face, but she was already gone. The others could do nothing but look on in shock. Weiss grabbed her sister's body and hugged it tightly, smearing blood all over herself. "Why? Why?! Damnit why?!"

* * *

With the battle, no, the war, won, there was nothing left for Qrow to do but celebrate. After a few trying days of despair it was over. Well, it was not quite over but at least the immediate threat had been dealt with. There would still need to be an invasion of Valm, with all the dangers that carried with it, but for now he could bask in the warm glow of victory. As his officers oversaw the processing of the prisoners, Qrow returned to his command tent to share a celebratory drink with the Khans.

"That was a hell of a risk, but it definitely paid off." Glynda said as Qrow entered the tent. He took a drink from his flask and passed it to her. She drank deeply. "I didn't think it was possible."

Glynda thrust the flask in front of Penny. "No thank you." She said. "Thank you Qrow, for helping to defend our kingdom and avenge my mentor."

Glynda next offered the flask to Ruby. "No, I'm alright." Ruby said.

Glynda took another big swig before passing the now nearly empty flask back to Qrow. "I'll start making preparations for an invasion of Valm." Glynda said. "What should we do with the prisoners?"

"Those who wish to fight for Princess Weiss will be allowed to join us." Qrow said. "The rest will be detained until the conclusion of the war."

"Their invasion demands retribution." Glynda said. "You're being awfully lenient."

"We won't be lenient with the emperor." Qrow promised. "He'll get what he deserves."

The tent flap opened and Weiss pushed in. Her white attire was stained red. "Is Ruby here?" She asked.

"Oh Gods!" Ruby exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Ruby, kneel before me." Weiss said.

"But what…" Ruby started.

"Just do it." Weiss commanded. Ruby wanted to protest further but followed her liege's order. "I bestow upon you the title and lands of the Duchess of Rosanne."

"But that means…" Ruby started.

"Winter's dead." Weiss confirmed emotionlessly. "By her own hand."

"What?" Qrow gasped. "Why?"

"The emperor holds her daughter hostage." Weiss replied. "She was of the belief that with failure, the only way to save her child's life was suicide."

"I don't think I deserve…" Ruby started.

"You're the rightful heir to the duchy through your mother's claim." Weiss cut her off. "The people will welcome you as their rightful ruler when we arrive there. Rosanne will follow you, as I hope Chon'sin will follow me. With the support of the empire's two wealthiest duchies, we'll be unstoppable. We will kill my father and rescue my niece. Then Willow Schnee will take her rightful place as emperor. I no longer have the stomach for this."

"Is...is everyone else alright?" Ruby asked.

"We suffered no casualties." Weiss reported. "Your father's unit may have lost a few men. They have pledged their allegiance to our cause and will join us in the invasion of Valm."

"Where are Yang and Blake?" Ruby asked. "You shouldn't be alone now. They can help you. You should talk to them"

"They are guarding Winter's body, as ordered." Weiss said. "And I have no interest in talking to anyone. This pain is mine to bear and mine alone."

"But Weiss…" Ruby said.

"Just leave me alone." Weiss sighed. She turned around and walked out, leaving the others in stunned silence.

* * *

"I guess a lot happened while we were apart." Taiyang said, gesturing toward the large scars on Yang's neck.

"More than you can imagine." Yang sighed. "I lost a tournament match, got kidnapped by my mother, turned into a dragon, started a romantic relationship with Princess Weiss, found out mom killed Summer, had a dragon fight with mom, and buried her."

"So Raven's…" Taiyang said.

"Yes, dead." Yang confirmed. "She willingly gave up her life. She's at peace now."

"And she really did kill Summer?" Taiyang asked.

"She did, but it was a setup arranged by the emperor." Yang explained. "Even if Raven hadn't done it the emperor's assassins would have."

"It was about the Duchy of Rosanne, wasn't it?" Taiyang asked.

"Yeah." Yang replied.

"I was always suspicious." Taiyang said. "I can't believe I trusted that man. I can't believe I fought for him."

"There's no way you could have known." Yang said.

"I guess." Taiyang sighed. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, it looks like we'll be invading Valm to depose the emperor." Yang answered. "I'm going to see this through with Weiss...and Blake."

"And Blake?" Taiyang said.

"Yeah, she's the last living heir to the throne of Chon'sin, and the relationship with Weiss and her is a three-way thing." Yang said.

"You do take after me." Taiyang said, forcing a laugh. "I'll help any way I can."

"I know." Yang said. "But I think the help we need most is something out of our control. Weiss just watched her sister slit her own throat. I can tell she's suffering but she won't even talk to me."

"She will." Taiyang encouraged. "Just give her time."

"She's already been through so much, and now this." Yang said. "I don't know how much more she can take."

"With your support she can handle anything." Taiyang said.

"I certainly hope so." Yang said. "We've been through hell, but I get the feeling things won't be getting better anytime soon."

* * *

Pyrrha pushed her way into Qrow's command tent. "Mission complete." She reported. "The captives taken by Taiyang's force have been processed and await transport to their destinations. The perimeter is secure."

"Thanks Pyrrha." Qrow said. He, Ruby, Penny and Glynda looked depressed.

"What happened?" Pyrrha asked.

"Weiss was here." Ruby replied.

"So you've heard." Pyrrha sighed. "It's terrible."

"Yeah." Ruby sighed.

"That's not all, is it?" Pyrrha pressed.

"No." Ruby confirmed. "Weiss made me the new Duchess of Rosanne, recognizing my mother's claim."

"But that's a good thing." Pyrrha said.

"Is it?" Ruby asked. "I'm suddenly the ruler of a large and wealthy chunk of the empire. The people living there are my responsibility. The soldiers from Rosanne will expect me to lead them. I'm not prepared for any of this. I was trained to be a soldier, not a ruler. And I wasn't even done being trained in that. What am I going to do?"

"I was trained to be a ruler." Pyrrha said. "I'll help you."

"But you have Nikopolis." Ruby said. "We won't even be able to be together once the war's over."

"Your Majesty, the Exalt." Pyrrha said.

"Yes countess?" Qrow said.

"I would like to renounce my lordship over the county of Nikopolis." Pyrrha said. "Will you accept my renunciation?"

"No." Qrow said. "Not now. Ylisse is still at war. Win Rosanne first, then you may renounce Nikopolis."

"Very well." Pyrrha said with a bow. She turned to Ruby. "There. Now I'll be with you."

"But you can't just give up your county!" Ruby protested. "The people there love you. They need you!"

"You need me more." Pyrrha said. "And I'm sure Qrow will appoint a suitable replacement."

"But your manor, your wealth…" Ruby continued.

"All worthless compared to your happiness." Pyrrha said. "I would live penniless if it meant living at your side."

"I love you so much." Ruby said. With tears in her eyes she embraced Pyrrha.

"And I love you." Pyrrha said as she rubbed Ruby's back.

"Even when everything seems to be going to hell there's still love." Qrow said. He took a big swig from his flask. "It fills me with hope for this world."


	23. Rosanne

Chapter 23

Land was in sight. The Empire was in sight. The fleet of invading ships would soon be ashore with a large army and the invasion of Valm would be underway. Weiss stood on the bridge of her flagship. It had once been her sister's flagship, the _Rosanne_. Now Winter's embalmed body rested below decks in the cargo hold, loaded into an ornate carriage that would serve as her herse. It had been quite some time since Winter's death but Weiss had still not talked to anyone about it. On the march to the coast she had remained silent except for outbursts of shouting when Yang or Blake pressed the issue. While they were gathering the fleet and loading up for the voyage she had immersed herself in the task of preparing the invasion. During the long sea voyage she locked herself away in her cabin and would speak to no one except on matters of a military nature. She was the sole commander of the invasion. Qrow had to remain in Ylisse to consolidate his power and ensure the Plegians did not take the opportunity of the Exalt's death to cause trouble. Glynda had to help Penny cement her authority and also deal with the chaos Winter's invasion had wrought on Ferox.

Weiss expected an unopposed landing. Her choice of destination was crucial to that expectation. Rather than landing in Chon'sin, the easiest crossing point and the base of Weiss' personal power, she was landing in Rosanne, a little further down the coast. She hoped a combination of Ruby's presence as rightful heir to the duchy and her own pleas would bring the people over to her side. If not, her army would do the job. Most of Rosanne's soldiers had joined the invasion of Ferox and few would be left to defend it now. Many had actually joined Weiss' army, though after Winter's death she was a little skeptical of their loyalty.

Weiss turned to the signals officer. "Order the shallow-draft ships to land on the beach." She commanded. "The soldiers will then secure the port, allowing the rest of us to disembark there. There is to be no violence, no looting, nothing." The officer began waving a pair of flags to transmit the orders. After he finished flagmen on the other ships passed the orders along until the entire fleet was informed. Weiss hoped there would be no need for fighting. She had sent Pegasus messengers ahead of the fleet to inform Rosanne of her imminent arrival and of all that had happened. On their return the messengers had told her they had been well received and instructed to tell Weiss that Rosanne was with her. Still, she could not be sure until her arrival. That there were not soldiers lined up along the beach to oppose them was a good sign.

Her ships bore the banners of the Empire and Rosanne, along with the personal emblems of Winter and Weiss. That would go a long way toward defusing any potential conflict. The smaller ships hit the shore and the soldiers piled out. They did not come under attack. Confirmation of the successful landing reached Weiss by flag signals. Less than an hour later, Weiss' banner flew over the port, signaling it was safe to land. The ships too large to land on the beach docked in Rosanne's huge port, all without a shot being fired. It was an auspicious start.

Weiss remained aboard the _Rosanne_ , preparing plans for the army's advance in the coming days. Meanwhile the soldiers set up a camp just outside the city. Weiss used gold captured from her sister's army to pay for their supplies. There would be no theft. Weiss was going to present herself as the rightful and just ruler, not a conqueror. After an hour or so a delegation from the town arrived to see Weiss. She disembarked the ship to meet them on the dock.

"Princes Weiss, we, the people of Rosanne, surrender the city and submit to you." The mayor said.

"I do not accept your surrender or submission." Weiss said. "But I will accept your assistance in my effort to rid this land of a tyrant."

"We pledge our support, Your Majesty." The mayor said. "How may we serve?"

"I wish to bury my sister." Weiss sighed. "Tomorrow if possible. Please prepare for a suitable funeral, and for the official installation of a new duchess."

"It will be done, Your Majesty." The mayor said. "Tomorrow we shall lay Winter the Fair to rest with all the dignity befitting a royal princess."

"The funerary procession will begin here, from her flagship." Weiss said. "Plan the route accordingly." The representatives bowed and departed, no doubt relieved that Weiss was treating them with such gentility.

Even the fearsome Feroxi soldiers under her command were kept under tight control despite their rage at the invasion. Ren and Nora commanded Ferox's contingent. Ylisse had given about half its army to the invasion as well, and it was being led by Pyrrha. Blake commanded the loyal Valmese soldiers from Chon'sin and Ruby those from Rosanne. Yang would command any new recruits gained along the way, in addition to all the other Valmese soldiers that had joined the cause. They were all very busy, too busy to bother Weiss about how she was feeling, and that was how Weiss wanted it.

* * *

The following day it was time for Winter's funeral. The ornate carriage carrying Winter's corpse rode near the back of a seemingly endless procession of local notables. Weiss, her retainers, and the nobles from the army that were loyal to them rode as well. Winter's husband joined them, riding beside Weiss. He was inconsolable, and had been since news of his wife's death had reached him. Weiss was a stark contrast, her face expressionless. She just rode on as the procession wound its way through the streets of Rosanne, finally reaching a Temple of Naga. Winter would be interred in a spot she had marked out before her departure for Ferox.

All around were extravagant displays of grief. People threw themselves on the ground, tore their clothes, or just cried their eyes out. Winter had been beloved in Rosanne, perhaps more than Weiss was in Chon'sin. It might have caused trouble for Weiss, as her actions had led to Winter's death and many would surely blame her, but the truth Weiss brought with her was readily accepted. Winter's husband confirmed the seizure of their child by the emperor, and the entire duchy was turned against him in an instant. There was some whispered criticism of Weiss' behavior at the funeral. Her emotionless appearance caused many to wonder just how much she cared about her sister. If only they knew.

* * *

That night Weiss retired to the bedroom in the castle she had assigned herself. It was the same one in which she had slept when visiting to celebrate the birth of Winter's daughter. She changed into her nightclothes and prepared for bed. It had been a long, painful day. There was a knock at the door, a servant no doubt. "I require nothing." She said. "Leave me."

"We're not leaving." Yang said.

"Open the damn door Weiss." Blake demanded.

"Damnit!" Weiss shouted. "You two should be at the camp! You're commanders. What of your troops?"

"Taiyang's covering for us." Yang said. "Now open up, we need to talk."

"Just go away." Weiss sighed. "I want to be alone."

"You leave us no choice." Yang said.

Weiss expected them to break the door down, but instead after a little metal clicking it opened. "Thanks." Blake said, waving to someone outside of Weiss' view.

"You should really remember who has the keys." Yang said. "Your brother-in-law is worried about you too."

"I never got along with that man." Weiss grumbled.

"Not good enough for Winter?" Yang suggested. "I don't think anyone would meet your standards anyway."

"What do you two want?" Weiss asked.

"We just want you to talk to us." Blake said. "When I was dealing with my eye, you and Yang talking to me helped a lot. Now I want to return the favor."

"And we haven't had sex in like a month." Yang said. "I'm a little pent up."

"Yang, not now." Blake said. "For once I don't think sex is going to make her feel better."

"You've got that right." Weiss groaned. "Look, I don't really want to talk right now."

"Well too bad." Yang said. "We're not leaving until we're satisfied...in more ways that one."

"Yang, seriously." Blake said. "Now please, Weiss, talk to us. Tell us what you're feeling."

"What do you think I'm feeling?!" Weiss snapped. "My sister killed herself right in front of me, and it's my fault!" Suddenly there was no hiding it. From her clenched fists and tensed stance her anger was clear, but the anguish on her face and the tears in her eyes spoke to a deep despair as well.

"But it's not your fault." Yang said. "It's your father's fault. He tried to kill you. He kidnapped Willow. He set all this up."

"If I'd just died like I was supposed to Winter would still be alive." Weiss sobbed. "I loved her so much. She was my hero. I always just wanted to be like her. Now she's gone...and I'm still here."

"You can't blame yourself for surviving." Blake said. "Winter's fate should not be on your conscience. This is all down to your father, and if you'd died, he would rule the world now. And who's to say he didn't intend for Winter to die regardless. He already tried to kill one of his daughters, along with ordering the murder of his own wife. He's clearly evil and insane."

Weiss sat on the edge of her bed, covering her face with her hands. "I just want my sister back." She wept. "None of this was supposed to happen. She was supposed to join us. We would overthrow my father together and she'd be emperor. That was what should have happened. But now she's gone and there's no bringing her back."

Yang sat down beside Weiss and leaned into a hug. "There's no bringing Winter back but you're still here." Yang said. "You bring hope to all these people. You bring hope to the world."

"I don't care." Weiss declared.

Blake sat on the opposite side of her, also embracing her. "We care." Blake said. "We love you and we don't want to see you like this. Winter wouldn't want you to be sad like this. She'd want you to go on and stop your father, save her daughter and avenge her. Being stricken with grief will only stop you from fulfilling her wishes."

"I would always ask her when I really needed advice." Weiss sighed.

"I thought you usually asked me." Yang said.

"No, I mean about the really big stuff." Weiss explained. "Now I need her advice more than ever. And we talked about everything. The letter she wrote to me when she first met her husband is so full of joy, it made me so happy. I was so excited that I would be able to return the favor by telling her about you guys. But I never got the chance. I never even got to say goodbye."

"I'm sure her spirit is watching over you now." Yang said. "And I'm sure she's thrilled that you found people you love, people who love you."

"She tried to hide it for sure, but there was such happiness in her eyes when she saw you were still alive." Blake said. "Even knowing what she had to do, she was so happy you still lived. Just seeing you filled her with hope. You need to fulfill that hope."

"It's okay to be sad." Yang said. "Hell, it would be weird if you weren't, but you can't let it destroy you. Blake and I just want to help you. The others do to. You can talk to us whenever you need to. We won't judge you, no matter how you feel. We just want to see you happy again."

"I...I suppose you're both right." Weiss said. "I need to accept how I feel, and I need to accept when you're trying to help me." She pushed Yang and Blake away to free her arms and wiped away her tears. "There are still people who are counting me. And people who love me. If I spend the rest of my life like this Winter's death will be for nothing. She'd want me to be happy." She took a deep breath. "I think...I think I'm okay now."

"There you go." Blake said. She leaned back in and hugged Weiss again, gently rubbing her back.

"We'll be here for you, always." Yang added, leaning in as well. She too started to rub Weiss' back but her hand began to drift. "So...now that we've worked that out, how about we have a little fun?"

"Not tonight." Weiss said. "I think I just want to relax, with the two of you of course."

"I'm always down for a good cuddle." Yang said.

* * *

Ruby stood in front of a full-body mirror. She was wearing the fine red and white gown that had hurriedly been tailored for her. The crest of the duchy was embroidered into the back. Tomorrow would be her coronation as Duchess of Rosanne. It would see nothing like the extravagance that attended the crowning of a king or emperor, but it would still be a lavish public celebration.

Having helped Ruby dress, Pyrrha stood beside her. "You look stunning." She said.

"I feel awkward." Ruby complained. The closest thing she wore to a gown like this was the armored skirt that was part of her armor. "It's so heavy, and there's so many layers. How am I supposed to move in this?"

"Very rigidly." Pyrrha laughed. She had been made Countess of Nikopolis at a young age but still remembered the occasion. "It's not about being practical. It's about looking pretty and impressing everyone with your fancy clothes. Just walk in there, avoid tripping as best you can, and kneel before the princess. Then you swear fealty, give a little speech, and it's over. You change into something simpler, there's a feast, and we all get to relax."

"Oh, I forgot about the speech." Ruby groaned. "I suck at giving speeches. I don't even know what to say."

"Don't worry about it." Pyrrha said. "No one's going to remember the speech anyway. Just say a few words about enforcing the law and protecting the people and you'll be fine."

"There's going to be a lot of people there though." Ruby said. "What if I'm too nervous?"

"You've charged into battle against people trying to kill you." Pyrrha said. "This is nothing."

"Are you sure I look okay?" Ruby asked. She turned around to see the back of the gown. "I don't look fat?"

"No, you look great." Pyrrha encouraged. "A little short for a duchess though." Pyrrha laughed but Ruby did not. "Come on, it'll be fine."

* * *

"I hereby invest you with the title, lands and rights of the Duchess of Rosanne." Weiss said, placing the flat of her sword on the top of the kneeling Ruby's head. Weiss sheathed the sword, stepped forward and held out her hand.

"And I swear to fulfill my obligations as Duchess of Rosanne, to uphold the laws, and to assist in the defense of the realm as called upon." Ruby said. She took hold of Weiss' hand and kissed her signet ring. "I am your loyal vassal."

"Then rise, Duchess Ruby of Rosanne, and address your people." Weiss commanded.

Ruby stood and turned to face the assembled crowd. The Temple of Naga was filled beyond capacity with friends, allies and local dignitaries. "I...I…" Ruby stammered. She was petrified by the sight of the huge audience. She looked to the front row and spotted Pyrrha.

Pyrrha noticed Ruby's predicament. "Calm down, you're doing great." Pyrrha mouthed.

"I, as Duchess of Rosanne, vow to protect my people, from the lowliest peasant to the wealthiest nobleman." Ruby said. "Justice shall be done in accordance with the laws of Rosanne and the Valmese Empire. I hope to live up to the example of my predecessor, and to that of my liege lord, Weiss, Duchess of Chon'sin, Royal Princess of Valm, our rightful Emperor. Thank you all, and may peace reign over this land." Wild cheering and applause erupted. Those assembled bowed before the new duchess as she processed out of the temple with the other nobles.

* * *

Rather than retiring after the feast, Weiss and her retinue instead headed for the army's camp. Ruby was not there, instead remaining late at the feast to fulfill her social obligations with the local nobility. Taiyang joined the group in the command tent. Since Ruby's coronation the smile had not left his face. Summer had once held the dream of becoming Duchess of Rosanne, and now that dream had been fulfilled by their daughter. "General Taiyang, I know you'd like to celebrate more, but I have a mission for you to carry out." Weiss said.

"Anything for you, Your Majesty." Taiyang said with a bow, still smiling widely.

"I need you to take the army to Chon'sin and secure the duchy." Weiss said. "Right now our army should be large enough to force the Imperial Army to retreat."

"What if they seal themselves in the city?" Taiyang asked. "And what of they offer battle?"

"If they take to the city start a siege." Weiss said. "They'll only be trapping themselves. If they offer battle, find a strong position and array your troops. Do not attack. Time is now on our side. Do not move the army beyond the borders of the duchy."

"Which of the commanders will be joining me?" Taiyang asked.

"None." Weiss said. "You'll be in sole command of the army. We will arrange for the defense of Rosanne, just in case my father launches a counter attack after we depart. To that end we'll be keeping one third of the contingent from Rosanne here, along with the troops from Nikopolis. Once that is arranged we'll join you in Chon'sin."

"It will be done, Your Majesty." Taiyang said with a bow. "Be safe, all of you." He left the tent and set out to spread the orders through the army.

"You probably don't need all of us to stay." Pyrrha said. "We can accompany Sir Taiyang."

"No need." Weiss said. "You all need your rest, and this will give us a chance to take some time off. Besides, the people of Rosanne should have some time to become acquainted with their new Duchess, and her future bride."

"Future bride?" Pyrrha gasped.

"Yes, future bride." Weiss confirmed. "You gave up your own county to be with her. Surely you wish to wed her."

"I do...but…" Pyrrha struggled. "...maybe...I don't know…"

"Buy a damn ring and ask the girl." Weiss commanded. "And do it before we leave."

"What if she says no?" Pyrrha asked. Her tone of voice made it clear that this was a legitimate concern for her.

"And what if I run through the streets of the capital naked?" Weiss shot back. "There isn't the slightest chance."

"If you say so." Pyrrha sighed, clearly unconvinced. "I'll have to plan a suitable occasion."

"Leave that to me." Yang said, putting an arm around Pyrrha's shoulders. "I know exactly what she'll want."


	24. The Beast

Chapter 24

Taiyang was discussing the impending move into Chon'sin with some subordinate officers. "General Taiyang!" Pyrrha called.

Taiyang quickly dismissed his officers, sending them to spread the orders throughout the army. "What is it Countess?" Taiyang asked with a bow.

"There's no need to bow to me." Pyrrha said.

"Of course there is." Taiyang said. "You're a countess, I'm a mere knight."

"You know I won't be a countess for much longer." Pyrrha said.

"And until you're not, I'll continue to treat you with due deference." Taiyang said. "Well, I know you didn't rush out here to discuss _our_ relationship. What do you need?"

"You know how much I love Ruby." Pyrrha said. "You know I would do anything for her."

"You're willing to give up everything you have for her, so yes, I have some idea." Taiyang confirmed.

"I'll cut to the chase I suppose." Pyrrha said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and peered into Taiyang's. "I would like your permission to ask for Ruby's hand in marriage."

"Go for it." Taiyang said.

"That's it?" Pyrrha gasped. "No speech? No warnings about treating her right?"

"Countess, there's nothing I can say that you don't already know." Taiyang laughed. "And I know you'll treat her better than anyone else would. You're a woman of honor, a true hero, and you'll make a fine wife to Ruby and a fine daughter-in-law to me."

"I'm touched." Pyrrha said.

"Just don't make a big show of the proposal." Taiyang suggested. "Ruby's never liked being the center of attention."

"Yang actually offered to help me plan it." Pyrrha said.

"That's going to be interesting." Taiyang laughed. "I hope she takes this as seriously as you will."

* * *

Arranging the defense of Rosanne was not as simple as it sounded. The city, with its high walls and well-prepared positions, was easy to defend. The surrounding countryside was not so easily protected. If the emperor sent an overwhelming force to attack Rosanne, holding the city would be the only realistic option. However, it was more likely that he would only launch raids. Those raids would attack the duchy's agriculture, mines and overall commerce, hoping to starve the population into capitulation. The people would likely remain loyal to Weiss regardless, but just letting them suffer was not an option. Weiss, and Ruby for that matter, were determined to be different sorts of rulers, and even in war they would do everything possible to shield the innocent.

While Weiss and the others planned the locations of defensive garrisons, Weiss suggested that Ruby and Pyrrha visit the ducal estate in the countryside near the city. After the war it would be their home and they should at least meet some of the servants. After more than a day of public appearances and social calls, Ruby was relieved to have some time off. Ruby rode Zwei and Pyrrha her Pegasus, heading out of the city and toward the manor at around midday.

"What's all that stuff strapped to your Pegasus?" Ruby asked, pointing to a pair of large saddle bags.

"I thought we could have a picnic on our way to the estate." Pyrrha replied. "Winter's husband told me about a nice spot about halfway there."

"I'd love a picnic!" Ruby exclaimed. "Since we got here it's been so exhausting. I just want to relax for a bit."

"I thought so." Pyrrha said. "Tomorrow it's back to work, but today is for us."

* * *

Ruby was thoroughly impressed with Pyrrha's picnic. After leading Ruby to a grassy meadow atop a hill she had laid out a blanket for them to sit on. Then out came the food, and it was an impressive spread. First up were the chocolate chip cookies, gooey and sweet, just the way Ruby liked them. Next were the strawberries, dipped and drizzled in chocolate and other sweets. Plain strawberries were a true treat for Ruby, but these were something else. The main course was a big strawberry tart, basically a sweet cream pie with strawberries on top, all glazed with sugar. It was quite possibly the most delicious thing Ruby had ever tasted.

"Where did you get this pie?" Ruby asked.

"Yang made it." Pyrrha replied. "She gave me the recipe, so I can make it for you whenever you like."

Just as Ruby was finishing up the last bites she noticed Pyrrha digging around in one of the bags. "There's more food?" Ruby gasped. "I don't think you can top that."

"I think I can." Pyrrha said. "But not with another confection."

"What are you…" Ruby started.

Pyrrha found what she was looking for and turned around, presenting a sparkling diamond ring. "Ruby, Duchess of Rosanne, would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Pyrrha asked.

Ruby stared at the ring as if transfixed. Her hands crept up to cover her mouth before she pulled them away again. "Of course!" She squealed with joy. "Nothing would make me happier!"

Pyrrha slipped the ring onto Ruby's finger. "I love you, always." Pyrrha said.

"I love you too." Ruby said. They fell together, embracing and kissing. After a few seconds Ruby pulled back. "I feel weird."

"You probably just ate too quickly." Pyrrha suggested. "Or maybe you're just excited. I know I'm feeling it." She started cleaning up the empty plates. She spotted something in the pan that had once held the tart. "What's this?" Under closer inspection it was a small slip of paper:

 _Ruby and Pyrrha:_

 _Baked with all my love, and some aphrodisiacs from Ren's alchemical stash._

 _Yang_

"I knew this plan was too restrained for Yang." Pyrrha sighed.

"My whole body feels hot." Ruby complained.

"That's because you are hot." Pyrrha said. She was glad their picnic spot was in the middle of nowhere. It would have been awkward for someone to disturb what they were about to do.

* * *

The following day the rest of the group headed to the ducal estate. It was on the way to Chon'sin and they would leave from there, after a little R&R. There was a bathhouse there, not quite the private paradise Pyrrha had at her manor, but a relaxing one nonetheless. Ruby and Pyrrha were mysteriously late to the party.

"Princess Weiss bathing with commoners, and a man among them no less." Blake said. "How scandalous."

"What's scandalous about it?" Nora asked.

"Nora, keep your privates submerged." Weiss admonished. She knew her order was never going to be followed. "Don't listen to Blake, she's just trying to get me worked up."

"I know a better way to get you worked up." Yang said with a wink.

The door opened and in came Pyrrha and Ruby. "I still can't believe she did that." Pyrrha complained to Ruby. She was clearly annoyed.

"Hey Pyrrha, how did it go?" Yang asked with a smirk.

"You know exactly how it went." Pyrrha said, staring daggers at Yang as she dipped herself into the warm water.

"Thanks sis, you're the best." Ruby said, wading over to hug Yang.

Pyrrha swore under her breath. "Come on Pyrrha." Yang said. "Nice boobs by the way."

"Hey!" Ruby shouted, pushing Yang away.

"And yours have grown." Yang added.

"Wha?" Ruby gasped.

The look on Pyrrha's face showed she had not been placated. "Oh Ren, Yang stole some of your supplies." Pyrrha said with a wicked smile.

"I was wondering what happened to those." Ren sighed.

"You!" Nora shrieked. She dove at Yang, tackling her into the water.

"I...regret...nothing!" Yang declared, struggling to keep her head above water.

"You owe me a night of carnal pleasure!" Nora yelled.

"Okay." Yang said, finally gaining the upper hand in the struggle. "I'll replace the supplies so you and Ren can have some fun. I'll even teach you a few tricks."

"Good!" Nora shouted, still not releasing Yang from her grasp.

"Uh...why are you still trying to drown me?" Yang asked.

"I don't know!" Nora yelled. "Oh...sorry." She released Yang and backed up.

Weiss sighed and shook her head. "Gods, what is wrong with you people?"

* * *

After a bath that turned out to be a bit less relaxing than anticipated, the group went on their way. Riding from the ducal manor they headed out on the road to Chon'sin. If all went well the journey would take two days. The weather was good and since the army had already traveled the path, there was little risk of running into Imperial forces. Chon'sin was likely already under Taiyang's control. Once there Weiss would gather her forces, send envoys to potential allies, and plan the final push against her father. With the two most powerful duchies in the empire behind her, Weiss was in the ascendancy. Still, she knew it could all evaporate in an instant. It had already happened to her sister. For Weiss, any failure would be just as fatal.

The road was fairly flat, winding through the forests of the plain that lie between the coast and a range of mountains further inland. The road was dirt but well-kept, clear of any obstructions. Until it was not. As the road narrowed from an open meadow to cut through another forest, a stack of felled trees blocked the way forward. "Well this is obviously an ambush." Yang said as the group formed up.

"But who set it?" Weiss asked, dismounting her horse and holding Myrtenaster at the ready.

"Does it matter?" Blake asked. The group dismounted, except for Ruby and Pyrrha, and formed into a circle.

"Of course it matters." Adam said. He climbed atop the felled trees. A group of men swarmed out of the forest and formed up in front of him. Some were in mixed clothing, lightly armed and armored, clearly the fanatics committed to his cause. They were dangerous because of their devotion and their willingness to die. Their number alone were a concern, as they were at least three dozen of them. Among them were better armed soldiers, wearing plate and mail armor, with weapons that were in much better condition. They were probably mercenaries, fewer in number but much more individually dangerous. Weiss recognized two of them, a man and a woman, they had attacked the group when it first arrived in Plegia. "You know what to do. Capture Blake, kill the rest."

"Yang, you know how to defeat an ambush right?" Weiss asked.

"Charge straight at it." Yang said with a smirk. She clashed her gauntlets together and they burst into flames.

With no archers among the attackers Pyrrha took her Pegasus skyward. Ruby hung back, watching the edges of the field for flank attacks. True to form Yang and Nora plunged straight in while Ren blasted away with his magic. Blake and Weiss hung back, looking for an opening. Weiss used Myrtenaster to project some magic into the melee, targeting the more dangerous mercenaries with her pinpoint attacks. Pyrrha swooped down, throwing her lance into the crowd of attackers, the force of her throws piercing multiple targets with each attack. Even more were taken out as she remotely retrieved her weapon. With Pyrrha, Ren, Nora and Yang opening up huge gaps in the enemy line, Weiss and Blake charged at the enemy leadership.

"Sound the retreat, they're getting torn to pieces." The mercenary leader advised.

"Never." Adam declared. "You may be a coward Torchwick, but my men will fight to the last."

"And then you'll have no men left to fight for you." Torchwick said. "The day is lost."

"It's not over yet." Adam growled.

"If you won't order a retreat I will." Torchwick said. He rushed forward. "It's over! Fall back!"

"Ignore him!" Adam shouted. "Fight on! Cut down anyone who retreats!"

"Retreat!" Torchwick persisted. "Kill anyone who stand in your way!"

Yang and Nora continued their press forward as Blake and Weiss scythed into the crowd. Ren's magic felled target after target. With the enemy ranks thinning, Pyrrha's attacks became less effective but remained deadly. The mercenaries could see how things were going and they tried to run. The fanatics fighting for Adam stood in their way, and soon fought their erstwhile allies. "Keep pushing!" Weiss ordered. "We've got them on the ropes!"

"You traitor!" Adam accused.

"Neo, cover our retreat." Torchwick ordered. The small woman began waving her rapier about.

"I'll kill you all!" Adam screamed. He rushed to Neo and slashed his blade across her chest. She dropped her weapon and fell to her knees. "Starting with you." Adam raised his blade over his head and brought it crashing down.

Torchwick arrived just in time, blocking Adam's strike with his mace. "Leave her alone." He said.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you." Adam hissed. He slashed at Torchwick but the attack was blocked. "You think you're strong." Adam kept his sword locked with Torchwick's mace. He then kicked the mercenary in the stomach. Torchwick doubled over and Adam kicked him in the face. He flopped down on his back, losing his grip on his weapon.

"You're a fool." Torchwick groaned.

"I'm alive." Adam sneered.

Blake lunged at Adam. Before he could react her blade slashed across his right bicep, slicing through his clothing and into the flesh. Adam's arm hung limp, still clutching his sword. He leapt back. The look of shock on his face shifted to a sly smile. Blake looked right. One of Adam's fanatic was upon her, previously unseen because of her blind eye. There was no time to defend herself. She did not have to. The attacker burst into flames, flailed about screaming, then fell to the ground, dead. Weiss stepped up. "It's over Adam." She said.

"It's not over!" Adam yelled. He moved his blade into his left hand and leapt at Weiss. Weiss side-stepped the attack and Blake slashed her blade across Adam's back. Adam dropped to his knees. "Traitor!" He turned to Blake and spit at her.

The battlefield, once chaotic and filled with the cacophony of combat, was now eerily silent. Weiss and her group stood triumphant, unscathed from the fight. Adam's army had ceased to exist. Only he and the two wounded mercenaries remained. Adam weakly tried to slash at Blake. In a flash she severed his hand. Blade and limb dropped to the ground as Adam stared at the bloody stump, too shocked to scream. Blake was not done. She reached down and ripped off his mask, revealing a tiny scar across the bridge of his nose and eyes filled with terror. Blake held her sword at the side of his head. With a stroke she drew it across his face, slicing through both his eyes. Now the silence was pierced by Adam's scream of agony. Both his arms rendered useless, he was helpless to stop the torture.

"Blake, stop." Weiss commanded.

Blake already had her blade ready, in position to deliver another agonizing blow. "He doesn't deserve mercy." She hissed.

"You're right." Weiss said. "But you're better than this. Is this the kind of Queen you'll be? One who tortures her foes? Are you going to be like him?"

Blake froze. Clearly a reckoning was at hand. What sort of person was she, really? Was she going to be a brutal, vengeful monster like Adam and the emperor? Or was she going to be kind and just, like Weiss? She so desperately wanted to make Adam suffer. He had put her through so much. It was only fair that she give him a taste. She could not begin to inflict the same level of pain on him as he had inflicted on her, but there was still plenty she could do. But then she would be no better than him. "Adam Taurus." Blake said. "You are a murderer and a traitor. Your crimes are unforgivable." Blake held her sword to his throat for a moment. "But I grant you clemency. Instead of the death of a common traitor, I give you the death of a noble."

"Fuck you." Adam groaned.

"Fitting last words." Blake said. She stood at his side and raised her sword. Her face twisted with disgust as she looked upon the pitiful monster. She sheathed her blade. Blake reached down and picked up Adam's sword, the weapon that had done so much damage. She swung it around and held it at the ready. With a deep breath she lifted it and exhaling brought it down, slicing cleanly through his neck to sever his head. She was splattered with blood as the headless corpse crumpled, his head rolling across the ground.

Blake tossed the blade aside. Legendary weapon though it was, it had been sullied by its owner. "Are you okay?" Weiss asked. Blake did not answer.

"Blake, talk to us." Yang implored.

"Thank you for stopping me Weiss." Blake said. "I would have regretted my actions had you let me continue."

"Don't mention it." Weiss said. "You made the choice anyway. You showed the kind of person you really are."

"Yeah, I really would have made him feel it if I was in your place." Yang admitted.

"Without the two of you to help me find my way, I would not have made that choice." Blake said. She looked around, her gaze fixing on the wounded mercenaries. The man was kneeling beside the woman, cradling her. She was bleeding a lot, though the wound did not seem particularly serious. "So, what should we do with them?" Covered in blood, Blake approached the pair with Weiss close behind.

The woman squirmed, trying to escape the man's grasp. "Don't move Neo." Torchwick advised, his voice cracking with fear "You'll only make it worse."

The woman signed something. Weiss and Blake could not understand but Torchwick could. " _It's just a flesh wound. Besides, we need to get out of here. I'll deal with the pain, I just don't want to be at the mercy of her._ " There was terror in the girl's eyes, even if she tried to hide it, and everyone could understand that.

"It's too late to run." Torchwick said to Neo. "They'll just shoot us down anyway." Torchwick looked up at the pair of approaching warriors, the ones he had just watched cut down his allies. After watching what she did to Adam, he had little hope of reasoning with Blake, so he decided to appeal over her head. "Princess, please don't kill us. At least spare Neo, she's been through enough."

"You've tried to kill us twice already." Weiss said. "I still remember what you did in Plegia. Why would I even consider sparing you?"

"We only ever did what we had to in order to survive." Torchwick pleaded. "The world has not been kind to us. In fact it's been quite cruel to Neo."

"Oh?" Weiss said.

"Well, you see…" Torchwick started. Neo started struggling again, shaking her head and trying to strike him. Whatever he was about to say was something she wanted to remain a secret. "Neo, I don't want them to hurt you! We have to make them understand. This is the only way."


	25. Silence

Chapter 25

Neo continued to struggle, trying to keep Torchwick from talking. Blake put her blade to Neo's throat. "Let him speak." Blake ordered. Neo stopped fighting him. "Well, what's your story?"

"My story?" Torchwick said. "No, this isn't about me. It's her story. Life's really sucked for her. It wasn't always bad though. She was a famous singer and dancer in Plegia once."

"And what happened?" Weiss asked. "How'd she end up with a scumbag like you?"

"I'll get to that." Torchwick replied. "Her singing and dancing, it had the power to inspire. She would perform for the Plegian army before battle, boosting the soldiers' morale and strength. Then, she was performing during a war with Ferox. An arrow came out of the sky and hit her in the throat. The clerics were able to save her life but she was left mute. Without her voice she had nothing. No one was going to pay to see a mute singer. I've been teaching her, but when we first met she couldn't even read or write." Blake and Weiss looked skeptical. "Neo, show them."

Neo shook her head and covered her throat with her hands. "Just show us." Weiss said. Her tone was far less harsh than Blake's. Neo sighed silently and moved her hands away. Torchwick helped her undo her blood-stained scarf. It dropped away from her neck revealing a jagged scar just above her sternum.

"See?" Torchwick said. "Anyway, she got involved in prostitution because there really wasn't anything else for her to do." Neo shook her head and slapped Torchwick across the face. "Okay, okay, not prostitution. She went into robbing idiots looking to pay for sex. Though she was forced into relations a few times, quite against her will. Well, I was going to be her next victim but I caught her in the act. When she pulled her dagger on me I twisted it out of her arm. She was terrified of what I would do, I could see it in her eyes, but I'm savvy enough to see an opportunity when it presents itself."

"So what, you forced her to join you?" Blake accused.

"No, I made her an offer." Torchwick answered. "Join me, help me in my thieving, and I'll take care of you. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. She had the skills and the desperation to be a great thief, and I had the brains to know who to target, and more importantly who not to target."

"How did you end up as a mercenary?" Weiss asked.

"Well, we were doing alright." Torchwick said. "Some minor thievery combined with some forgery was making us a decent quantity of coin, but the authorities were starting to get wise. We did one last heist and took off. It just so happened we managed to steal some weapons with special powers. Robbing careless travelers and holding them for ransom was easy, lucrative, and could be done far from the rule of law, so that's what we did. Put together a nice little crew until you broke it up."

"I'm not going to apologize." Weiss said.

"I wouldn't expect you to." Torchwick continued. "Well, we were in pretty bad shape after you left us last. We headed to a village near the border with Ferox and Ylisse. I figured with the war there would be some opportunities to make money, but it was over before we got the chance. Then Adam comes along looking for mercs. We still had our weapons, and the guys that survived our little encounter were still around. He paid up front. How could I say no? I was planning to flee at the first chance, leave him in the lurch, but the opportunity never arose. He made sure that if I wasn't in his sight Neo always was. I think he knew what I was planning. And, well, that's how we ended up here. When you guys started kicking our asses I called for a retreat. Adam wasn't thrilled and he attacked Neo. You know the rest."

"Is all of that true?" Weiss asked.

Neo nodded. She kept her eyes on the ground, clearly ashamed of her past. "What should we do with them?" Blake asked again.

"After attacking us twice, they don't deserve mercy." Weiss said. Torchwick sighed. "But after all Neo's been through, she does. And you...what's your name?"

"Torchwick." He replied. "Roman Torchwick."

"Torchwick…you're a greedy scumbag, a criminal who should be executed for his crimes…" Weiss said. Torchwick sighed again, nodding in agreement with Weiss' assessment. "...but you've shown yourself capable of goodness. You took Neo in, you protected her today. You too have earned a reprieve."

"Really?" Torchwick gasped. Weiss nodded. "I need to make enemies like you more often."

"I don't think this is a good idea." Blake said. "What if they turn on us? It could all be an act."

"If they turn on us they won't survive." Weiss said. "And they know that. We'll take them to Chon'sin. I'm sure the castle can use a few new servants. If they behave, I'll reevaluate their situation after the war's over."

"You're really something else Princess." Torchwick laughed. "I've tried to kill you twice, admitted to being a thief, forger and murderer, and you're still going to let me live."

"You're a terrible person." Weiss agreed. "But there is still some good in you, and for that you are worthy of a chance at redemption. What you do with that chance is up to you, but I suggest you remain within the law."

"What you're doing for me and Neo...hell...I'd clean the floors of your palace with my tongue if that's what you wanted." Torchwick laughed.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, but perhaps you would make a good butler." Weiss suggested.

"I'd prefer steward." Torchwick said. Weiss glared at him. "...but I'll take whatever you're willing to give."

"And Neo might do well as a maid." Weiss said.

Neo shrugged. It was better than any expected alternative. " _I'll give it my best shot._ " She signed.

"Now, Pyrrha, come heal her." Weiss said.

"Wait." Blake said. "I have a better idea." She whispered into Weiss ear.

"Excellent idea." Weiss said. "We'll let Torchwick show his dedication."

"I don't like the sound of that." Torchwick groaned.

"Our mage, Ren, can heal Neo, but only by draining some lifeforce from someone else." Weiss said. "Well Torchwick, are you willing?"

"I suspect I don't have a choice, but even if I did, yes." Torchwick declared.

Ren walked over and knelt by the pair. "I'm very sorry." He said. He grabbed Torchwick by the throat with one hand and placed his other on Neo's wound. He and Torchwick began to glow as the latter grunted in pain. The glow around Torchwick faded as Neo began to glow. Her wound closed, leaving behind a long scar. "All done." Ren reported.

"That sucked." Torchwick complained.

" _Better than being dead._ " Neo signed.

"True." Torchwick agreed.

"Alright, let's get going." Weiss said. "Restrain them and let's move on."

"On it." Nora said. She walked up to Torchwick. The mercenary helpfully held his hands behind his back and Nora tied them tightly with some rope.

"You have no concept of how to be gentle, do you?" Torchwick complained. Nora tightened the rope further. "I'll shut up."

Blake approached the kneeling Neo, carrying a length of rope. Neo stared at her as she approached, her eyes wide. She started shaking. Blake ignored it, stepped behind Neo and grabbed one of her hands. Neo resisted but Blake wrenched her arm back and grabbed her other wrist. Now Neo struggled hard, fighting against Blake's attempts. "Just hold still and this won't take long!" Blake shouted. Neo fought harder, choking out sounds of panic. She tried to pull her whole body away. "I said hold still!"

"Stop!" Torchwick yelled. "Be gentle! You're scaring her!" He sighed. "Being bound holds bad memories for her."

"I'm just trying to tie her damn hands." Blake growled. Neo stopped struggling and fell limp. Blake just let her fall, exasperated by the situation. Neo curled up in the fetal position, covering her face with her hands and hyperventilating. "If she's not going to cooperate we should just deal with her here."

"Blake, step back." Yang advised. "Let me handle this."

"What?" Blake gasped. "You care about _her_ now?"

"I care about a scared little girl." Yang said. "I have some experience with one." She looked back over her shoulder at Ruby.

"Fine, whatever." Blake said. She stomped away, frustrated.

Yang knelt at Neo's side. She took off her gauntlets and placed them on the ground, picking up the rope Blake had dropped there. She began gently stroking Neo's hair. "Neo?" Yang said softly. "Neo, please look at me." Neo slowly pulled her hands down from her eyes, gazing in terror and confusion at Yang. "I promise you, on my honor, I won't harm you. No one here will hurt you either. I'll guard you myself." Neo cast her gaze at Torchwick. He smiled and nodded at her. She closed her eyes and nodded towards Yang, holding her shaking hands together behind her back. "That's alright, I'll tie them in front if it's better." Neo opened her eyes and looked upon Yang's friendly, smiling face. She smiled back and moved her hands to her front. Yang began to tie them, slowly and carefully. "Let me know if it's too tight." Neo shook her head. When Yang finished she grabbed Neo under the arms and lifted her to her feet. "There. Are you okay?"

Neo nodded, leaning into Yang's arms. "Can we get this show on the road?" Blake asked impatiently.

"Are you ready?" Yang asked, holding Neo at arm's length. Neo nodded. "Then let's go."

"What about the bodies?" Pyrrha asked. "We can't just leave them to rot."

"Why not?" Blake shot back.

"It's sacrilege." Pyrrha said. "They might be evil. They might be our enemies. They're still people."

"There's a village nearby." Weiss said. "We'll pay them to take care of it. Pyrrha's right, we can't just leave them for the beasts."

"It's better than they deserve." Blake said.

"Blake…" Yang started but decided against saying anything.

The group headed on. After a brief stop at the next village they headed on toward Chon'sin. A roadside inn on the border between the two duchies was their home for the night. Yang, Nora and Pyrrha took turns guarding the prisoners, but Neo refused to leave Yang's side. Yang did not mind and the other two were just forced to drag Torchwick into the room where Yang was sleeping. True to his word he did not try anything. In the morning they group headed out again, reaching Chon'sin by midday. Taiyang had already secured the city and his army was camped nearby.

* * *

After dropping off the prisoners at the castle, Weiss took her group to meet with Taiyang in his command tent. "Princess, welcome." Taiyang said with a bow. "We faced no resistance and the city readily opened its gates to us."

"Unfortunately we did run into some trouble." Weiss reported. "The one positive is that Adam and his breakaway exiles will no longer bother us."

"Is everyone alright?" Taiyang asked with obvious concern.

"No casualties." Blake replied. "Adam is dead, along with his men."

"Anyway, that's not why we're here." Weiss said. "Report general."

"We encountered no resistance." Taiyang repeated. "The Imperial forces fell back on the capital. My scouts tell me some detached to reinforce the fortress at Steiger to block any moves to the southwest."

"That's fine." Weiss said. "We're not moving to the southwest. The emperor is in the capital and that is where we shall go."

"There is a complication." Taiyang admitted. "Apparently a force recently moved into the capital, coming from the south coast."

"Who are they?" Weiss asked. "Who leads them?"

"No idea." Taiyang replied. "They bore no identifiable standards and wore armor our scouts had never seen before."

"That's...alarming." Weiss sighed. "But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. How long before the army is ready to march on the capital?"

"It's ready now, but I suggest we wait." Taiyang advised. "More new recruits join us every day. Even more will surely flock to our banner now that you're here in person. If we wait a few days our forces will be so large that nothing the emperor can field will be able to match us."

"What if your father flees?" Yang asked. "We can't let him slip away."

"He's not going to run." Weiss said. "He's too arrogant, too stubborn. General, you say our ranks are growing. What of the Imperial forces?"

"We've received many defectors." Taiyang answered. "They speak of low morale. They know which way the wind is blowing."

"Good." Weiss said. "Offer any defectors amnesty but disarm them. We can't take any chances."

"I think that falls under my responsibilities." Yang said. "What should I do with the other new recruits?"

"They can defend Chon'sin when we move on." Weiss replied. "I'm ordering three days of rest for our forces. Then we march on the capital."

* * *

It was late at night but Blake could not sleep. She wandered the halls of the palace, eventually coming to the main hall. There she walked up to the destroyed throne Weiss had occupied the day the two had met. If Weiss kept her promises, it would soon be hers. As a duchess or as a queen, she could not say, but it really did not matter. Everything Blake ever wanted was within her grasp. She would have her birthright, and her exiled people would be able to return. So why did it all seem so meaningless?

Blake stared at the throne for a few minutes. It was taboo to do so, a borderline act of rebellion, but she forced herself to sit upon it. She looked out on the dark and empty hall. Dark and empty… The door at the far end creaked open and Blake leapt to her feet. In walked Weiss and Yang, the former lighting their way with magic. "Blake, what are you doing here?" Yang asked.

"I...I couldn't sleep." Blake stammered. "I decided to take a walk around."

"And sit on my throne?" Weiss asked.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty." Blake sighed.

"It's alright." Weiss said. "It should be yours anyway. And soon it will be."

"Yeah." Blake said sadly.

"Alright, enough dancing around this." Yang said. "Blake, please talk to us."

"I'd rather not." Blake groaned.

"I poured my heart out to you." Weiss said. "I feel like it helped me. Now Yang and I are here to help you. You haven't been you since what happened with Adam, and rightfully so. Please, tell us what's on your mind."

"Fine." Blake said. "I guess I may as well go through the whole thing."

"Only if you want to." Yang said.

"I'll have to eventually." Blake said. "I may as well do it now. As the rumors say, my father was the last heir to the throne of Chon'sin. My mother was his lover, a maid. My illegitimacy means I'm technically disqualified from the succession, but from what I'm told, he didn't care and wanted me to be next in line. None of that mattered because he was murdered, along with my mother, by assassins sent by the emperor. They were supposed to kill me too, but the soldier hesitated to kill an infant and guards arrived to stop him just in time.

"I never really knew my parents, and for a long time I really didn't much care what had happened to them. I was raised by some of the leading exiles for a few years, but eventually they decided my royal connection was more trouble than it was worth, and I was thrown in with other orphans who were being trained as soldiers. Apparently some of the leading exiles still held out hope that the rebellion could be revived, even if it had to wait a generation. That's where I met Adam. He was older, and his parents had both been killed in the last big battle of the war, the one in which Summer died. He had a virulent hatred of the Schnee, maybe stronger than even Raven's.

"Adam and I were the only fighters with any talent or dedication to the cause, so we ended up training together a lot. He became something of a mentor, and when I reached my teens we started to have a kind of romantic relationship. I felt like he was the only one who really cared about me. To him I was more than just an orphan, I was the Rightful Queen of Chon'sin. When other exiles cast doubt on my lineage or my claim he would defend me. He was the only one who ever did. I really loved him and I thought he loved me.

"As we got older he started to change though. His hatred of the Schnee started to consume him. He would go on angry tirades, lash out and break stuff, he even hurt some people. He never turned his anger on my though. Still, something felt wrong about him...about us." Blake started to tear up. "He wasn't as nice to me anymore. I started to realize he probably never loved me, even though he said he did. He...he just wanted to use me as a way to get power. He was a minor noble but I was the queen. He wanted to be the king. He didn't care about me or who I really was, just my blood.

"He took everything from me." Blake sobbed. "I lost it all when I realized he didn't love me. I felt like a fool for being tricked, for loving him. I still do. I wanted to leave him, but I was afraid of how he would react. He had never turned his anger on me, but by then he had killed a few people. I knew I could easily be next. Then things suddenly changed. Raven split off to form her own faction and Adam joined her. With him gone I was free. But of course I wasn't really. The leading exiles knew about our relationship. They knew he trusted me. So they sent me to spy on him. I didn't want to go but I had no choice. Then he took me here, to kill you. When I saved you, part of me hoped he would kill me, just to end it. I had nothing left.

"But you gave my life meaning. You showed me the truth and you gave me a cause worth fighting for. Then we ran into him again. I didn't want him to kill me anymore. I wanted to kill him. But he just left me maimed. I was still pathetic compared to him. Even after everything I was still useless."

"That's not true." Weiss said. "You're far from useless."

"I know now." Blake said. "When I killed him...it felt so good. But it also hurt so much. He took everything I had, but killing him didn't get it back. He was just dead. Revenge...it's meaningless. It didn't make me happy. It didn't fill the hole in my heart. Having Chon'sin, if you decide to give it to me, isn't going to fill it either. What does any of it matter if I'm not happy?"

"I am going to give you Chon'sin." Weiss promised. "But you're right. Killing Adam, ruling this land, it's all meaningless if you're not happy. But things like that, titles, power, revenge, they're not what make you happy. People who love you are."

"That's why we're here." Yang said. "We love you and we want you to be happy. It hurts us to see you hurting. If you have nothing in the world, you'll still have our love, and I hope we'll still have yours."

Blake walked beside the throne and placed her hand on it. "You're right." Blake said. "I'm a fool. I spent all this time focusing on revenge, focusing on my birthright, focusing on stuff that doesn't matter, stuff that won't really make me happy. What I should have been focusing on was right in front of me all along. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course we forgive you." Weiss said. "We weren't angry in the first place. We just want you to be okay."

"And I am, now." Blake said, managing a smile. "Thanks to the two of you."

"So, how about a little cuddling to make it all feel better." Yang suggested.

Blake laughed. "Who am I, the princess?" She asked. "I'm down for more than a little cuddling."


	26. Vengeance

Chapter 26

The army might be resting but for Weiss there was no such opportunity. In her absence, no clear leader had been appointed to lead Chon'sin. The result was a breakdown of law and order. Some of the minor nobles had taken it upon themselves to rule the duchy, but their rule had been ineffective and corrupt. Now there was much for Weiss to clear up and little time for her to do it. Early in the morning she took to her throne to hear petitions from the citizenry. A return to business as usual would surely be a welcome thing for most of the people, and it was as good as any way of getting things started.

"We've got an interesting visitor Your Majesty." Yang announced from the door to the chamber. "A certain bar owner."

"Junior?" Weiss asked. Yang nodded in confirmation. "What could he want? No matter. Bring him in."

Junior entered the room, approached the throne and bowed before Weiss, a stack of papers under his arm. "Your Majesty." He said. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back." Weiss said. "So, what is the reason for you being here today?"

"I'll get straight to it." Junior said. "Things weren't great after you left. The city was in total chaos for a while, and then when things settled down it still didn't get much better."

"Yes, so I've heard." Weiss sighed. "It's regrettable."

"I just figured you'd want to know who was to blame." Junior said. "Through my contacts I was able to keep tabs on the major players, the nobles in control, the criminal elements, the troublemakers. I figured that whoever finally took over would like to have that sort of information." He handed the stack of papers to Yang who took them to Weiss.

"I'll read them in time." Weiss said. "Thank you. Care to give me some of the highlights?"

"Sure." Junior agreed. "Well, most of the nobles that took charge spent their time enriching themselves instead of enforcing the law. Out on the street just about every criminal group in the city expanded. Beyond the city, forget about it. This duchy has had trouble with highwaymen at the best of times. When you left even some of the nobles started running gangs of them."

"These are heavy accusations." Weiss observed. "Do you have evidence to back them up?"

"All in the reports I gave you." Junior said. "Anything I got that wasn't backed up is clearly labeled rumor, and you can decide what's true or not."

"I assume Cardin and his thugs had a field day." Weiss said, looking over a few of the papers.

"Actually, no." Junior said. "I was a shocked as you are. His crew actually started taking on the highwaymen, robbing and killing them. It's not exactly civilized behavior, and probably shouldn't be condoned, but on the whole I'd say they did more good than harm."

"Interesting." Weiss said. She paused for a moment. "Junior, you've done me a great service."

"It was nothing, really." Junior said. "Just doing my part."

"Which was more than most did." Weiss countered. "You deserve to be rewarded. Just one question."

"Shoot." Junior said.

"Have you been running your underground fights in my absence?" Weiss asked.

Junior had the feeling she already knew the answer. "I have, Your Majesty." Junior admitted. "I apologize. When things got bad I really needed the coin."

"I appreciate your honesty." Weiss said. "Kneel before me." Junior stepped forward and knelt at Weiss' feet. Weiss drew Myrtenaster, touched the flat of the blade on Junior's right shoulder and then his left. "As a reward for your service I make you a knight. At the conclusion of the war you will be awarded a plot of land as well."

"Wow, thanks princess." Junior gasped.

"And as punishment for your disobedience, I sentence you to spend the rest of the day in the stocks." Weiss continued.

"I probably deserve that." Junior sighed.

"Guards, you heard me." Weiss said. "But do be gentle."

* * *

"It's a mess, an awful mess." Weiss sighed. It was evening and she was in her private chambers, reading over the reports Junior had given her. "I can't help but feel responsible."

"If you'd stuck around you'd have been killed, and the place would still have fallen into chaos." Blake encouraged. "At least now you're alive to sort this out."

"Hopefully I can stay alive long enough to do it." Weiss said. "I'm so glad I'm giving you Chon'sin. This will be your problem, not mine."

"It'll be our problem." Yang said. "We can share the load. You two sort things out, I dispense the punishments."

"That might work." Weiss said. She placed the papers down on her desk. "You know, this is very good stuff. Maybe I should make Junior my spymaster." She paused. "How did his day in the stocks go?"

"Melanie and Miltia spent most of the day throwing stuff at him." Yang laughed. "I'd say he was sufficiently humiliated. You struck the perfect balance with the reward and punishment there as far as I'm concerned. And it was hilarious to watch too."

"I'm glad I could keep you entertained." Weiss said with a smile. "I never thought I'd actually look forward to all the work it takes to run this duchy. Back before everything happened, I was always worn out by the tedium. I hated paperwork. Now though, it actually feels good. It's almost like everything's back to normal."

"Yeah, except now at the end of the day you get to share your bed with your two favorite ladies." Yang said with a wink.

"Fun though it may be, I do have a concern about our relationship." Weiss admitted. "We can't go on forever like this."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked.

"Well, for starters, if I'm going to be Emperor I'm going to have to get married, perpetuate the bloodline and all that." Weiss explained. "Ren's told me about some magic that can let me do that with one of you, but the key is it had to be _one_ of you. I can't marry you both."

"So marry Blake." Yang suggested. "She's the one with royal blood and your kids will end the dispute between Valm and Chon'sin."

"Wow Yang, I'm surprised you're so willing to accommodate us." Weiss gasped.

"Well, I'd do anything to serve my liege." Yang said. "And I love the idea of being your concubine. It sounds hot."

"I guess I don't have to worry then." Weiss said with a sigh of relief. "I had already decided on that course of action, but I was worried you'd be angry."

"Hey, as long as I still get to spend quality time with my two favorite girls, I don't care who is married to whom." Yang shrugged. "I only ask one thing."

"What?" Weiss asked.

"I want to be both Maid of Honor and Best Man at your wedding." Yang replied.

"Deal." Blake said.

"Deal." Weiss agreed.

"And I suppose I should be there that night when you two bang." Yang added.

"Well that goes without saying." Blake said.

"Of course." Weiss said. "It wouldn't be the same without you."

* * *

The next day saw Weiss dealing with more of the troubles that had cropped up in her absence. Knowing it would be her last chance to work on the issues for some time, she did as much as she could. In the end the project was left unfinished. The next day the army would march on the capital. It would take quite some time to get there, but it promised to be the end of the civil war. Taiyang was left in charge of Chon'sin until Weiss' return, and some of her army was detached to defend the duchy, as had been done in Rosanne. In the morning Weiss marched with a gigantic army behind her, and thanks to three days of meticulous planning, that army was as well supplied as any ever had been.

It took a week for the army to reach the capital. What awaited them was a shock. There was no army standing in their way. Even the walls of the city appeared to be undefended. As Weiss and her forces approached, the mayor and some town elders came out to arrange the town's surrender. The Emperor was still inside, holed up in his palace, defended by mysterious soldiers that had only arrived a little over a week earlier. The regular imperial guards had been dismissed and fled. The Emperor had even dismissed his most loyal retainers, placing his life in the hands of the new arrivals. It was all baffling. With a huge army bearing down on him, the Emperor should have been enlarging his forces, not sending his most trusted warriors away.

Then came a messenger directly from the Emperor. Weiss recognized him, one of her father's retainers. He looked shellshocked. "Princess Weiss, your father has gone mad." The messenger reported. "He has despatched me with a message and told me not to return. He now places his trust in foreigners instead of his loyal servants. He sits locked in his throne room, doing nothing but barking orders."

"What is your message?" Weiss asked. Hearing that her father had lost his mind was a bit comforting. Crazy was certainly easier to accept than evil. Still, if he had gone mad, his actions now could be dangerous and unpredictable.

"Your father offers a warning." The messenger said. "He warns that if your army enters the city, he will turn his forces loose on the population, and leave you with no city to capture. He declares that if you wish to face him, you may bring your retinue and nothing more. Anything more will result in the ruin of the capital." The messenger shook his head. "In his current state I have no doubt he would be capable of carrying out this atrocity."

"It's clearly a trap." Yang warned.

"I know." Weiss said. "But he leaves us little choice. I can't risk him killing so many innocents." She turned to the messenger. "These foreigners defending him, what do you know about them? Where are they from? How well trained and equipped are they? How many of them are there?"

"I know not where they come from." The messenger sighed. "They appear to be nothing more than professional soldiers outfitted with decent armor and weapons, though the style is one I'm not familiar with. There are at least a few dozen of them. A small but well trained force might be enough to defeat them."

"Like, say, my retinue." Weiss suggested.

"Yes." The messenger confirmed. "I suspect a few picked soldiers can take them on, though it would be difficult."

"Why are you telling us this?" Blake asked. "Aren't you sworn to serve the Emperor?"

"The man I swore to serve no longer exists." The messenger said. "The man who currently occupies the throne is not the Emperor I knew. You'll see when you meet him."

"What will you do?" Weiss asked.

"I will not fight for either side." The messenger replied. "The Emperor has dismissed me from his service, but I cannot bear to take up arms against him. You have my word that I will not interfere."

"Very well." Weiss said. "You may go." The messenger departed.

"So, what's the plan?" Yang asked.

"The plan is we march in there, kill my father, and end this damn war." Weiss answered. "The longer this goes on the more the people of Valm will suffer. It's time to end this."

* * *

Weiss took her group and marched straight through the open gate and into the city. In Rosanne and Chon'sin her arrival had been met by smiling, cheering crowds that lined the streets. Her arrival in the capital was met by eerie silence. The citizens hid in their homes, terrified of what might happen no matter who won the showdown between Weiss and her father. Weiss had no intention of doing the people any harm, but they could not know that. All they knew was that a massive army waited just outside the walls of the city and an insane monarch sat in his palace at the city's center. No matter the outcome of the clash about to happen, it seemed a great upheaval was at hand.

There were no guards waiting outside the palace. Instead the gate was already open. As they approached the building itself, a pair of minor servants opened the massive doors. The inside was far more ornate than any of the palaces the group had seen so far. It made Ferox look like a hole in the ground and put Ylisse and Plegia to shame. Mirrors, paintings and gilded everything lined the walls. Even the ceiling was decorated with gold and gemstones. When the towering gilded wooden doors to the throne room swung open, they revealed a phalanx of soldiers standing between Weiss' group and the Emperor.

The Emperor sat on his throne on a platform raised up above the rest of the room. The soldiers formed a tightly packed arc in front of him. Their armor was indeed different, but somehow familiar. Pyrrha recognized it immediately. "Plegians." She grumbled. "Royal guards."

"None of this makes any sense." Weiss sighed. For decades her father had been a steadfast enemy of Plegia. Now Plegian soldiers surrounded him. Then she spotted Cinder, Queen of Plegia. The queen and her retainers stood to the rear of the soldiers, off to the side of the Emperor.

"Ah Weiss, my little girl." The Emperor said. "You've come so far. I'm actually proud of you."

"Just hand over Willow." Weiss demanded.

"Willow?" The Emperor asked. "That's why you're here?" He laughed.

"Yes, Winter killed herself to save her daughter." Weiss said. "Give her to us and you can leave with your life."

"She's dead." The Emperor laughed. "Long dead."

"What?!" Weiss screamed.

"As soon as my men brought her back I had her killed." The Emperor explained. "Her existence was quite the inconvenience."

"Inconvenience?!" Weiss shouted. "She was your heir! You drove Winter to her death, killed Winter's daughter, and now you mean to kill me. You really are mad! You're destroying the succession! You have no heirs left!"

"Heirs?" The Emperor said. "Who needs heirs when you have immortality?" Weiss just looked at her father stunned. "This world will soon end. I have done my part to see it happen, and as a reward I will be granted everlasting life! When Cinder raises the new Fell Dragon I shall reign at its side. All that's left is to extinguish the last of the line of Exalted Blood."

"You're a monster." Weiss said through gritted teeth. Her hand was gripped tightly around Myrtenaster, her knuckles white. She was shaking with barely contained rage.

"Guards, kill them!" The Emperor ordered. The soldiers did not move. "I said kill them!"

"We're done here." Cinder said. "Soldiers, move out, we have places to be. Don't bother with the interlopers. They helped me remove one inconvenient tyrant, now I've returned the favor." The soldiers sheathed their weapons and started to file out, moving around Weiss' group without touching them. Cinder and her retainers joined them.

"What?!" The Emperor demanded. "Where are you going? You're supposed to defend me! Kill them! I said kill them! I command you! I'm the Emperor!"

"You're dead!" Weiss screamed. She raced forward, charging up the steps towards her father. The Emperor was frozen in panic and confusion. Weiss leapt at him, sword extended. Her blade pierced his chest, and the impact of her slamming into him was enough to snap his throne in two. The pair tumbled across the floor landing with Weiss on top, kneeling astride him with her sword pinning her father to the ground. With a primal scream Weiss activated Myrtenaster's magic and fire erupted around the sword. The Emperor flailed about for a moment before falling still. The flames cut through the Emperor's body, expanding and burning out his chest until there was a hole as big as his head. The fire subsided and Weiss drew her blade back, repeatedly stabbing it back into what remained of her father's corpse as she screamed and and tears streamed down her face.

Yang approached Weiss from behind. She laid her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "That's enough." Yang said.

Blake also approached, laying a hand on Weiss' other shoulder. "He's dead." Blake said. "Stop."

Weiss kept stabbing, unable to control herself. "Weiss!" Yang and Blake shouted in unison. Weiss seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in. She pulled her blade back, dropped in on the ground at her side, and collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Yang knelt at Weiss' side, gently stroking her hair. "It's okay." She said softly. Weiss tried to speak but what came out of her mouth was little more than unintelligible babbling.

Blake knelt beside the dead emperor's head. His crown had come dislodged and rolled aside. Blake picked it up. Yang got Weiss to a sitting position as the two embraced. "Weiss, this is yours now." Blake said, holding out the crown.

Tears still streamed down Weiss' face but she was rapidly calming down. She took hold of the crown with both hands. She stared at it. It was just a stupid hat as far as she was concerned. She wanted to throw it away. If it was all she had to show for after all the pain and suffering she had gone through, all she had witnessed, it was not worth it. But she looked at Yang and Blake. They smiled at her. They kept telling her everything was going to be alright. Down the steps across the room the others looked on expectantly. Weiss struggled to her feet. She looked at the crown again. She took it in both hands, sighed, and placed it atop her head. "All hail the Emperor!" Yang cheered.

"All hail the Emperor!" The others said as one.

Weiss wiped the tears from her face. She steeled herself, as she had been taught to do from childhood. She strode down the steps, threw open the doors to the throne room and walked to the front doors of the palace. Servants scrambled to open those doors for her. As Weiss stepped out into the bright sunlight she was greeted by a cheering crowd. Cries of "Long live Emperor Weiss!" rose up and soon it seemed the entire city was shouting for her. It should have been the greatest moment of Weiss' life, but she found no joy.


	27. Triumph

Chapter 27

The Emperor was dead. Weiss was the new Emperor. Before the day was out the Council of Nobles voted her a Triumph. It was for her defeat of Plegia, or so they said. Weiss knew what it was really for, but it was unacceptable to celebrate victory in a civil war. What it was for hardly mattered to Weiss anyway. She wanted no part of it. Such honors were rarely awarded, but Weiss was not in the mood for celebration. Unfortunately, she could not afford to offend the nobles so early in her reign. The nobles surely had ulterior motives, probably trying to get on the new Emperor's good side, to maybe make her forget how faithfully they had served her father, but Weiss had no intention of punishing anyone anyway. Enough blood had been shed, too much.

The procession would begin just outside the gates of the capital, winding its way through the city before ending at the steps of the palace. Weiss would ride in a special wheel-less chariot, levitated with magic, pulled by horses made up to look like Pegasi as no true Pegasus would consent to pulling anything. She was supposed to appear as a goddess, a divine conqueror. She felt like a lonely little child, but she had to play the expected part. There was one bit of tradition she would overturn though. Traditionally the victorious army led the procession, followed by the commander, followed by the commander's retinue. Only the commander's spouse was permitted to share the chariot. After climbing aboard Weiss extended a hand to Blake, who took it and stepped aboard. They were not married, not yet, but in riding with Blake at her side Weiss was making a statement, subtle but unmistakable, that the two would be wed.

The army began winding its way through the city with Weiss' chariot following. She and Blake wore special gowns, white with green trim and flowing, meant to invoke the appearance of Naga. Behind them Pyrrha rode her Pegasus while Ruby, Yang, Ren and Nora were on horseback. Behind them spectators poured into the streets, following the procession toward its conclusion. Near the palace there would be a great fair and feast with all manner of entertainments. It was a party to be shared by the entire populace. When the army reached the front of the palace it assembled on the steps in disciplined rows. A gap was left in the center. Weiss and Blake stepped from the chariot, arm-in-arm, and walked up the stairs through the gap. Their retinue dismounted and followed, filling in the space. The great doors to the palace opened and Weiss and Blake disappeared inside.

Moments later the pair emerged onto a balcony overlooking the steps. The assembled crowd erupted in rapturous applause. Blake stood a few steps back as Weiss stepped to the railing. "People of Valm…" She called out. "...I am honored to receive this Triumph. The war is over and peace has returned to the land! The time of fear and uncertainty is over. So spend the day celebrating. But all is not well." The cheering ceased. "Princess Winter, Duchess of Rosanne, and her daughter Willow, are dead. In their honor, starting tomorrow, there will be three days of mourning. Once we have grieved, there will be a grand coronation and royal wedding." The cheering returned. "I will wed Blake, the rightful ruler of Chon'sin." Weiss made a sweeping gesture with her hand and Blake stepped forward, bowing to the crowd. There were a few gasps and whispers. It was shocking that Weiss would call an outsider the rightful ruler of any part of the empire. Blake's appearance was also shocking. She wore nothing to hide or disguise her scar and dead eye. "By our marriage the dispute between Valm and Chon'sin will be resolved!" Weiss continued. The got the cheers going again. "Now go, spend the day celebrating!"

Weiss and Blake bowed before heading back into the palace. Outside the assembled crowd cheered for a little longer before dispersing, the citizenry heading off to enjoy the celebrations. Once the crowd had cleared the army marched out of the city, now led by Yang and Pyrrha. Ruby joined them, intent on learning from the two more experienced warriors. Nora went with the army as well. Weiss had tasked her with training some of the greener soldiers that had joined in the days before their arrival at the capital. Ren headed into the palace. He would get the empire's finances in order and see that the soldiers got paid. Blake would join some so-called "experts" to plan the joint wedding/coronation.

Weiss had government business to deal with. Immediately upon seizing the throne she had sent envoys to the major cities of the empire requesting their allegiance. So far the signs were good. Many of the messengers had returned to confirm their support for Weiss' rule, and there were no signs of rebellion. Word had also reached Weiss from Taiyang that Qrow had landed in Chon'sin. He had originally come to bring reinforcements, but with the war over he now simply wanted an audience with the new Emperor. He would arrive in two or three days. Weiss was already drawing up the basics of a formal alliance with Ylisse, and hoped to finalize the terms and sign a treaty once Qrow arrived. Given the recent war a similar agreement with Ferox would be a bit more difficult, but Weiss hoped to get it done. Weiss worked into the night, answering petitions, confirming legislation and meeting with various nobles.

* * *

After a long and difficult day, Weiss was looking forward to a good night's sleep. She retired to her chambers and changed. Just as she was getting into bed there was a knock at the door. She had a feeling she knew who it was. She got up and dragged herself to the door. "Yes?" She said.

"Open up Princess...er...Emperor." Yang said.

"Gods...every time." Weiss sighed. She opened the door. Yang was not alone, with Blake at her side.

"Whenever you really need to talk but don't want to, you put us to work so we're not around." Yang said. "It's getting old."

"Yang, shouldn't you be with the army?" Weiss groaned.

"Pyrrha can handle it." Yang replied.

"Fine." Weiss sighed. "And Blake, don't you have a wedding and coronation to plan?"

"It was boring so I left it to the experts." Blake shrugged. "It's not like I have any idea what I'm doing anyway. And there's not much to do. They put up fancy decorations in the Temple of Naga. We wear fancy dresses. We go through a painfully boring and excruciatingly long, pointless ceremony. They we ride a fancy carriage to a big feast."

"Don't you want to pick out the dresses or the decorations?" Weiss asked.

"They were doing it for me, even while I was there." Blake complained. "They're making me wear a big eye-patch face-covering thing to hide my scars. It's so stupid!"

"Anyway...we're not here because of that." Yang cut in. "Weiss, we're here because of you."

"Yeah, Yang's right." Blake said, getting back on track. "We know you're hurting. You need us now more than ever. So please, talk to us."

"This is one of those situations where you're not leaving until I do, isn't it?" Weiss sighed.

"Yep." Yang confirmed.

"Fine." Weiss said. She walked back into the room, followed by the others, and took a seat on the edge of her bed. Yang and Blake sat on either side of her. "What do you even want me to say?"

"Whatever you want to say." Blake replied.

"That doesn't help." Weiss said.

"Tell us about Winter." Yang said. "I never really got to know her."

"Winter was...Winter was everything when we were growing up." Weiss sighed. "My father was cold, and my mother was absent, always at his side, so we were both raised by maids. It was sort of like she was the only family I ever had. We were best friends. I guess it was similar to the way you and Ruby were...are."

"We've had our ups and downs." Yang said. "It's not all sunshine and roses."

"But it is compared to what I went through." Weiss said, tears welling in her eyes. "I never had a loving father or mother. I had a sister for a while, but when the Duke of Rosanne died, they decided to move Winter there to prepare her for her position as Duchess. She was too young to rule on her own, but the powers that be wanted her to get acquainted with the Duchy and its government. They were going to separate us, but I cried so much about it that the plans were changed and I went along with her. That worked for a few years, probably the happiest years of my life, but then I was given Chon'sin, and I was just ripped away from her. I didn't want to be a princess, I didn't want to be a duchess. I just wanted to be a normal girl. I wanted a sister to play with, to gossip with. I guess I made a scene, but Winter consoled me, promised she'd keep in touch and that I'd meet new friends. So I went, and I guess she was right, but I never really got over being apart. I'd spent my whole life with her and suddenly she wasn't there anymore. It was lonely."

"I honestly can't imagine you making a scene like that." Yang said. "You've always been so guarded with your emotions."

"It's how I was trained to be." Weiss explained. "Winter too." A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away. "Even after we were separated we still wrote to each other every week. We couldn't visit much, but I got to see her at her wedding and Willow's birth, and she came to visit when I officially took over as duchess. Even when she wasn't there I knew I could always count on her for advice. I needed it to. Most girls my age were still just daydreaming about boys and I was supposed to run a duchy. She'd been through it already, and her advice helped so much."

"Even though you were apart you were very close." Blake said. "I'm sure she loved you as much as you loved her."

"I know she did." Weiss said. "Then when father tried to have me killed and I had to flee...I had to go without her help for the first time. I felt so alone and helpless. I had to make it all up as I was going along. Even when we came to face her in battle I was excited because I would get to see her again. I knew she would join us, I just knew it but...and it was all for nothing. She killed herself to save Willow but she was already dead. It was all pointless. Father took everything away from me and what do I have now? Pain and a stupid crown. I don't want it. I never wanted it. I hadn't even learned to rule a duchy and now I've got a whole empire. And I can't even ask Winter for advice. I don't want this! I want to go away! I want Winter back!" Weiss hunched over and covered her face with her hands as she started bawling. On either side Blake and Yang leaned in to hug her.

"I'm sure you can…" Yang started.

"I lost everyone." Weiss cried. "My parents, my sister, even my niece. My entire family is gone. I can't do this...I can't do this alone."

"But you're not alone." Yang said.

"You have us." Blake added.

"And Ruby, Pyrrha, Ren and even Nora." Yang said. "We're here and we won't leave you."

"But how can any of you understand what I'm going through?" Weiss wept. "My whole family is dead. Sure, Blake can relate to that part, but I also have such responsibility all of the sudden. I'm not just the Emperor. I'm the last person alive with Exalted Blood. I'm potentially the only person standing against the end of the world. It's so hard, and it's so lonely."

"Maybe we can't fully understand what you're going through." Yang admitted. "But we'll all be here for you. We've been through so much together. We can't just give up now. We can't let ourselves fall apart."

"You're much stronger than you think." Blake said. "When we first met I hated you, but it turns out you're the person I wish I was. If there's anyone in the world who can handle what you're going through, it's you. And with you ruling the Empire, the world will be a better place."

"I just...I...thank you." Weiss said. "I keep trying to push you away and you still keep coming back to help me."

"That's what friends are for." Yang said with a gentle smile, brushing Weiss' hair out of her face. "Even if you give up on you, we never will."

"Yeah, wipe away those tears." Blake said. "We'll always be here to support you."

"And since we're lovers too we can do more than just support you." Yang said with a wink.

Weiss turned to Blake. "Thank you for everything you've done." She said. Then she turned to Yang. "And Yang, don't ever change."

* * *

The following day it was time for Nora to start training some of the newer soldiers. She would be working with heavily armored but dismounted soldiers like herself, but asked that they come in lighter clothes. As instructed the soldiers arrived at the training field in just the padded clothing worn under their plate armor. They lined up and waited, and their instructor was late. Nora arrived with a beaming smile on her face, bouncing across the field toward the soldiers. Magnhild was slung across her back, but her dress was anything but martial. Her top was plain enough, just a light shirt, but she paired it with scandalously short shorts.

Most of the soldiers laughed as the perky redhead practically skipped over to them. "I'm your instructor, Nora!" She exclaimed. More laughs. She was the instructor? What a joke! "I hope you're ready to work!" Nora ignored the laughing. "Follow me. If you don't keep up you'll have a meeting with my hammer." She slipped Magnhild off her back and slammed it into the ground with a thunderous crash. It left behind a small crater. The laughing stopped. "Let's go!"

Nora jogged off down a trail that led out of the camp and into the countryside. The soldiers dutifully followed, terrified of incurring her wrath. She jogged down the dusty country roads at a mild pace, but she just kept going. At every fork in the road she stopped and the soldiers hoped she would turn around and lead them back to camp, but she quickly read the signs and jogged off again. For some soldiers it was too much. They stopped, some fell, and were just left behind.

After what seemed an eternity, Nora reached a lake. The soldiers were expecting a break to cool off, but they were to be disappointed. "Now we swim!" Nora announced. Nora dashed into the water, and even weighted down by Magnhild, headed out across the lake, the far side a long way away. The exhausted soldiers followed, and though they were already near their limits, the cool water was a great comfort. They group reached the other side. After a narrow stretch of flat ground the land rose up in a steep and rocky hill. The soldiers expected Nora to swim back across the lake. "Up we go!" Nora enthused. She took off up the sometimes sheer climb, heading for the top without any apparent difficulty. Some soldiers gave up their pursuit but a number followed. When they reached the top Nora was already jogging off into the distance.

* * *

"Emperor Weiss." Blake said, entering the room where Weiss was working on a draft treaty for Ferox.

"What is it Blake?" Weiss asked, not looking up from her work.

"Did you tell Nora to train the recruits?" Blake asked.

"Yes." Weiss confirmed. "I figured it would keep her out of trouble."

"I was watching them." Blake said. "I followed them on horseback for a while. You should really inspect your troops."

"I'm very busy Blake." Weiss sighed.

"Trust me Weiss, inspect your troops." Blake insisted.

"Fine." Weiss groaned. "Send a messenger. Have them meet me at the steps of the palace."

* * *

Nora jogged back to the training field and stood where she had started. Slowly a few soldiers trickled into their original place, haggard and exhausted. Nora looked like she could do it all again. Out of the original 50 or so, about 20 soldiers remained. "That was great wasn't it?!" Nora exclaimed. "Now that you've passed the selection process, we can have some real fun!"

"Selection process?" One of the recruits gasped.

"That was my weekend workout!" Nora replied. "You'll be running it in armor with me in no time!" There was a chorus of gasps and groans.

"General Nora, a message from the Emperor." A messenger rushed to Nora. "She wishes to inspect your troops on the steps of the palace." The messenger saluted and rushed off.

"You heard the man!" Nora shouted. "The Emperor wants to see us! You've got 10 minutes to get armored up, and your gear had better be spotless!"

* * *

"They're here." Blake said. "Take a look."

Weiss got up and emerged from the palace. On the steps before her stood about two dozen tired-looking soldiers. They were in perfect formation with spotless weapons and armor gleaming in the sun. "I expected chaos." Weiss gasped.

"Ren always said chaos is just energy that needs a direction." Nora enthused.

"I need to pay that man more." Weiss said. She picked a soldier at random and pointed to him. "You, recruit, how would you describe your training?"

"Grueling but fulfilling, Your Majesty." He said, seemingly still trying to catch his breath.

"Where are the rest of the recruits?" Weiss asked.

"They were unworthy." Nora replied.

"Unworthy?" Weiss asked.

"They fell behind and never caught up." The recruit explained.

"Are they okay?" Weiss gasped.

"I knew I was forgetting something." Nora shrugged.

* * *

Meanwhile Pyrrha and Ruby were leading some cavalry on a riding exercise. The found a soldier lying on the side of the road. Pyrrha dismounted and rushed to the man's side. "What happened soldier?" She asked. "Were you attacked?"

"Oh gods…" The man gasped. "Red hair, demonic grin, booty shorts...she'll be the end of us all."


	28. Duel

Chapter 28

Qrow was due to reach the capital the following day, and with the timing of his arrival unknown, Weiss was up at dawn, waiting in the great hall of the palace with Blake at her side. It was to be Weiss' first official welcome of a foreign ruler as Emperor, and she was going to do it right. The throne, the same one her father had so recently occupied, had been hastily repaired, and the seat the Empress had once occupied moved back beside it. The first arrival was not Qrow, but it did bring big news.

Nora burst in. "He said yes!" She exclaimed, bouncing around the room was uncontrollable excitement.

"What did…" Blake started.

"Nora requested we marry, and I agreed." Ren explained, arriving just behind her with his usual lack of emotion.

"We're getting married, we're getting married." Nora repeated over and over, practically singing it.

"Congratulations." Weiss said. "Any word on when Qrow will arrive?"

"Nope." Nora replied, swaying back and forth, unable to stand still. "I should get back to the army. The recruits need more training!" Nora skipped out humming to herself.

"We just thought we should let you know." Ren said. "I assume we have your blessing."

"You do." Weiss confirmed.

"Good." Ren said. "Now, I should get to work. The accounting here is a mess." Ren had been working as Weiss' treasurer for the time being. She could trust him, and he had the perfect set of skills. His memory was incredible, matched by his ability to do math in his head. He also had an appreciation for how small financial decisions could set off a domino effect of consequences. He had found a way to pay the army without the need for a special tax, even though the soldiers would receive almost twice their normal pay. Using some creative accounting, he had also worked out how to pay for Weiss and Blake's coronation and wedding, all while leaving the crown quite wealthy.

"Uh, Ren...shouldn't you be...I don't know...more excited about being engaged?" Blake asked.

"I don't see why." Ren shrugged. "We've been living like we're married for a while now. Nothing's going to change. It's just a meaningless label."

"Nora obviously doesn't feel that way." Weiss observed.

"Which is why I'm going through with it." Ren said. "If it's important to her it's important to me."

"That's...oddly romantic." Blake said.

"I suppose it is." Ren said. "Now, I need to get to work. That summit with Ferox isn't going to pay for itself."

It was still a few more hours before Qrow arrived. When he did he left his army outside the city and came to the palace alone. "Qrow, Exalt of Ylisse." A herald announced as he entered the great hall. He was clearly in a hurry, his clothes dirty and wrinkled, a weathered case slung over his back.

"Your Majesty the Exalt." Weiss said. She stood and bowed, Blake doing the same beside her.

"I'm sorry but there's no time for formalities, Your Majesty." Qrow said with a quick bow.

"What's wrong?" Weiss asked, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"My spies have discovered Queen Cinder's plans." Qrow replied. "She aims to bring a new Fell Dragon into this realm."

"But that's...how?" Weiss gasped.

"Plegia's been trying for centuries, ever since Grima's death." Qrow explained. "In her they've finally developed a suitable vessel. She has the Blood of Grima, the Blood of Salem, and…"

"Blood of Salem?" Weiss asked.

"The 'new' Fell Dragon." Qrow clarified. "She also has Exalted Blood."

"Exalted...how?" Weiss demanded.

"Ozpin had a brother." Qrow sighed. "During a war with Plegia he got mixed up with the King's sister and, well, you get the idea. He died shortly after under mysterious circumstances, even before the child was born. It was probably a setup from the beginning. The kid dropped off the map for years and Ozpin totally lost track of her. It took my spies a long time to confirm Cinder is that child."

"How's she supposed to bring this Salem into our realm?" Blake asked.

"She's headed to Origin Peak to perform the ritual." Qrow replied. "It's on an island between Valm and Plegia, to the southeast. Luckily she's stuck in port because the winds have been against her, but she won't be stuck there forever. You need to gather your retinue and get there as soon as possible. I'll follow with the army. If you can catch her before she sails she won't have a chance to perform the ritual. If she makes it to Origin Peak...it won't be long before she's done it."

"And if she succeeds, what then?" Weiss asked. "The Falchion is destroyed."

"Not quite." Qrow said. He slipped the case off his back and opened it. He withdrew from it a sword and shield. The shield was clearly the Fire Emblem, but the sword was at the same time familiar and unique. "I've done what I can." He lifted the sword up and bowed.

Weiss approached Qrow and took the blade. She recognized it now. "The hilt of...Winter's sword." She gasped. "And Falchion's blade. How?"

"I had my most skilled swordsmith graft the two together." Qrow explained. "You sister's sword was found on the battlefield, near where she had died. This weapon should now possess the properties of both. I understand your sister's sword functioned much like your own."

"Doesn't the Awakening ritual need to be performed to unlock Falchion's power?" Blake asked.

"It does." Qrow answered. "But I've already taken care of that. I performed the ritual myself. I am a descendent of Naga. Don't tell Yang."

"So it works?" Weiss asked.

"I can't say for sure." Qrow admitted. "Only one with Exalted Blood can unlock it's true power, and I don't have it. That's why it's imperative you stop Cinder before she completes her plan. We can't afford to risk the fate of the world on such an unknown."

"Very well." Weiss said. Taking the case from Qrow she placed the new Falchion and the Fire Emblem back in it before slinging it over her back. "Blake, get Ren. Meet us at the army's headquarters. I'll go gather the others. Qrow, we'll need horses."

"They're already waiting." Qrow reported.

"It's time to stop Cinder, once and for all." Weiss declared.

Weiss and her group gathered, immediately setting off for the port of Missiletainn. As they rode down the coast they could feel the contrary winds that had trapped Cinder there. They camped for the night a few miles away before resuming the chase in the morning. Worryingly, the winds slackened, then reversed. Cinder would not stay for long. Nearing the village, refugees warned them of the soldiers that had taken control of the town and forced out all the locals. Upon reaching the edges of the village Weiss and her retinue could hear the blare of horns. When they arrived at the docks they found the Plegian soldiers assembled, blocking their path. Cinder was beyond them, already approaching the waiting ships. She had no intention of sticking around for a fight she had not reason to bother with.

"She's getting away!" Yang shouted. "We need to attack now."

"I don't like our odds." Blake warned. "These are probably the best soldiers Plegia has, and they're backed up by Cinder and her retainers."

"We're too heavily outnumbered and we don't have the element of surprise to help us." Weiss sighed. "There's nothing we can do."

"There's something I can do." Pyrrha declared. She headed skyward astride her Pegasus.

"Wait what are you…" Ruby started, but Pyrrha ignored her.

Pyrrha drew a staff that had been strapped to her Pegasus' side and spoke a spell. A magical barrier surrounded her, and arrows fired by Plegian archers bounced off. "Cinder, Queen of Plegia, I challenge you to a duel!" Pyrrha shouted. "I will avenge my parents and Exalt Ozpin!"

Cinder was just about to board a ship but she stopped. She looked at Pyrrha for a moment, their eyes meeting. "I accept." Cinder yelled. "Soldiers, do not interfere." The sporadic arrow fire stopped and Pyrrha landed at the base of the dock Cinder was on. Knowing Cinder was an archer, she sent her Pegasus away. "What rules do you propose?" Cinder asked.

"No outside interference, the duel ends when one of us can no longer fight." Pyrrha answered. "No holds barred."

"I request one additional condition." Cinder said.

"What is that?" Pyrrha asked.

"The loser will be at the winner's mercy." Cinder replied. "Their respective associates will not intercede, even after the fight is over."

"Deal." Pyrrha said. "I will have my vengeance. I will see justice done." She drew her lance and shield and stood ready.

Instead of drawing her bow, Cinder drew a tome. "I'm going to enjoy this." She said with a smile. "I'm ready when you are."

"Then let's begin." Pyrrha said. She started running toward Cinder but pulled up short as Cinder spoke her spells and runes appeared on the ground between the combatants. They were magical traps that would explode in flame if touched. One appeared beneath Pyrrha and she dove backwards just in time, fire erupting in the spot where she had been standing.

Cinder remained in place, lobbing fireballs at Pyrrha. With the traps separating them and without her Pegasus, Pyrrha had no way to close the distance. Entering the duel hastily, she had left her tomes in the pack carried by her Pegasus as well. The only ways she could attack at range was by throwing her weapons. That was not necessarily a problem. She could remotely retrieve them after all. First Pyrrha blocked a fireball with her shield, then, spinning around, she hurled her shield out to the side like a discus. It curved in a wide arc as it flew through the air. After dodging another fireball, she launched her lance straight at Cinder, timing it so that both weapons would arrive at the same time.

Cinder was ready. She lunged forward and side-stepped, catching the lance mid-air, then used it to deflect the shield onto the ground before picking it up. The weapons briefly took on a dim glow as Cinder wielded them, taking an identical stance to Pyrrha's. Pyrrha tried to retrieve her weapons remotely, but nothing happened. Cinder just smiled as Pyrrha struggled to do what she had always been able to, but suddenly found herself incapable of doing. Pyrrha could not know it, but the same curse Cinder used to kill had drained the magical energy from her weapons, rendering them inert.

Cinder tucked the lance under her arm and waved her hand. The traps separating the pair disappeared as Cinder took the lance in hand once again. Pyrrha realized that the only way to get her weapons back was to take them back. Fighting an armed opponent without her weapons would be difficult, but not impossible. Most of Pyrrha's armor was leather, but she had enough metal plate on her forearms and legs to deflect the shots sent her way. Plus she was trained to keep fighting even when disarmed, and was an expert at the skill of disarming opponents. She took a deep breath and charged.

Cinder stabbed forward with the lance as Pyrrha closed in. Pyrrha deflected the attack aside with the armor on her forearm before throwing a punch at Cinder's face. Cinder lifted the shield and blocked the strike before spinning away. Before Pyrrha could attack again Cinder did so, stabbing at her face. Pyrrha ducked under the stab then rolled aside as Cinder tried and failed to kick her in the face. Now to Cinder's side Pyrrha rushed forward in an attempt to tackle her foe. Cinder moved the shield in the way and pushed Pyrrha aside, slashing at her back with the lance as she fell off balance. Pyrrha managed to dive out of range of the strike, rolling to her feet.

The combatants circled one another, each looking for an opening. Cinder broke the stalemate, lunging forward. Pyrrha saw the move coming, side-stepped it, and caught the lance under her arm. She raised her arm as Cinder swung the shield around but was not quick enough, the heavy metal disk slamming into the side of her head. Pyrrha released the lance and staggered back as her vision blurred. _Shink_. Pyrrha felt a burning pain in her abdomen. Looking down she saw her own lance buried deep in her torso. It had penetrated just below the diaphragm and to the right of the midline, gone all the way through and now poked out the armor on her back.

Pyrrha was not done fighting. She tried to back off the blade but Cinder pressed forward. She tried to punch at Cinder but was out of range. She grabbed the lance's shaft and tried to push it out, but Cinder wrenched it to the side and Pyrrha was overcome by the intense pain. Cinder started jerking her back and forth with the weapon, each move agonizing, until the pain and injury was too much. Pyrrha began to wobble, hardly able to stand. With a swift move Cinder drew the lance back, ripping it out of Pyrrha's torso with a twist that shredded her flesh. Pyrrha stumbled toward Cinder with the momentum of the move, and Cinder met her with a shield to the face. Pyrrha fell flat on her back. She tried to get up but the pain overwhelmed her.

Cinder crouched over Pyrrha. She tossed the lance away and put both hands on the shield. "This...is...what...happens...to...people...who...defy...me!" Cinder screamed, delivering a blow to Pyrrha's head with each word. Then she tossed the shield aside and drew a dagger from her boot. Pyrrha was still conscious and tried to reach for the dagger, but Cinder just smacked her arm away. Cinder plunged the dagger into Pyrrha's left ankle, severing the tendons and ripping up her flesh.

"Hold on." Mercury said, stepping up to the pair. "Let her live. She'll make a fine addition to my harem."

Cinder thought for a moment. She put her dagger away. "You don't want that." Cinder said. "She's far more trouble than she's worth. But you're right, killing her outright would be too much of a mercy." Cinder caressed the side of Pyrrha's face with her bare hand. "She can die like her parents. And she'll live just long enough to see my plan come to fruition." Pyrrha could feel the curse already beginning to drain her life force. Cinder gestured to one of the nearby soldiers. He brought her a staff. She tossed it on Pyrrha. "Heal yourself. I wouldn't want you to die too soon." Cinder waved to Emerald and Mercury to tell them to board the ship, then went to one of the officers in her army. "Give her back to them. Then make sure we're not followed."

In her terrible physical state, Pyrrha fumbled with the staff. Eventually she was able to get a good hold, said the spell, and healed herself well enough to stabilize her condition. It would be enough, as the curse would surely kill her before any complications from her injuries did. Two soldiers approached her. She wanted to fight them but was still too weak. They grabbed her by the wrists and ankles, carefully avoiding touching her skin. The ranks of Plegian soldiers parted as Pyrrha was carried through.

* * *

Weiss and her group could see nothing of the fight. The ranks of Plegian soldiers blocked their view, and the soldiers' stoic silence gave away nothing. There was no screaming to be heard, just grunting and some muffled speech none could make out. Then the line of Plegian soldiers split. A pair of them carried Pyrrha out in front of their position and tossed her unceremoniously on the ground. A third soldier tossed her weapons on the ground beside her. She was still alive and conscious, but covered in blood.

"Don't touch me." Pyrrha warned in as loud a voice as she could manage. "I've been cursed." She struggled to crawl away from the Plegians. Ruby fell to her knees bawling. She knew what it meant. Nora cried too, burying her face in Ren's shoulder as he embraced her and rubbed her back. Weiss and Blake stood stunned.

Without a word Yang walked forward. Ruby started forward too but Blake grabbed and restrained her. Weiss went forward with Yang instead. Weiss grabbed Pyrrha's weapons and quickly retreated back to the others while Yang picked up Pyrrha. "What were you thinking?" Yang growled through gritted teeth.

"I had to stop her." Pyrrha said, her voice barely audible.

"We could have come up with a plan." Yang snapped, walking back towards the others with Pyrrha in her arms. "You didn't have to do it alone."

"There was no time." Pyrrha protested weakly.

"I forgave you when you stabbed Ruby in the gut, but now you've stabbed her in the heart." Yang said. "Do you have any idea of the pain she'll feel if you die?"

"I'm sorry." Pyrrha said. "Cinder killed my parents. I miss them so much. I couldn't let her escape, I had to…" She sighed. "It clouded my judgement."

Blake still held the sobbing Ruby back as Yang lay Pyrrha down on the ground. Weiss placed a pack under her head to prop it up and make her more comfortable. "Ren, use my life force to heal her." Ruby pleaded. "Please, take it all if you must."

"I could, but that would mean touching her directly." Ren said.

"Don't." Pyrrha warned.

"You're not doing it." Weiss ordered. "We can't risk all three of you being cursed. The situation's bad enough as it is."

Ruby screamed and cried, struggling to get free of Blake's grip, but now Yang held her back as well. "No!" Ruby screamed. "I can't lose you! I can't go on without you!"

"If we kill Cinder quickly enough we can save her." Ren suggested. "It's the only way."

"So let's go after her!" Ruby demanded.

"We can't." Blake said. "It would have been a close run thing to take on the Plegian soldiers _with_ Pyrrha fighting on our side. Without her there's no way."

"Weiss, are there any other ports nearby, anywhere else we can find a ship?" Yang asked.

"No, this is the only decent harbor in the region." Weiss sighed. "There's nothing we can do. And it's not just Pyrrha's life that hangs in the balance. If we don't stop Cinder it may very well be the end of the world."

"So what are we supposed to do?!" Nora shouted. "Just sit here and wait? We have to at least try!"

Nora took up her hammer but Ren grabbed her. "Nora, it's suicide." Ren warned. "I won't let you do it."

"We have to do something!" Nora protested.

"Unfortunately I don't think there's anything we can do." Weiss groaned. "We'll need a miracle if we're going to stop Cinder."


	29. It's the End of the World

Chapter 29

Pyrrha was fairly certain she would die. The odds were certainly not in her favor. If she was going to die there was business to be dealt with. But Ruby was so distraught already. Discussing it in front of her would only make things worse. "Weiss...I would like to...talk about a few things…" Pyrrha started. She used her eyes to subtly gesture toward Ruby. "...that are not appropriate for certain company."

Weiss instantly realized what Pyrrha was getting at. "Yang, Ruby, make a sweep of the town." Weiss ordered. "See if there's any alternate route to the docks or anything we can use."

"But I...Pyrrha…" Ruby wept.

"Go, now." Weiss ordered. "Yang, take her."

Yang had a pretty good idea of what was going on as well. "Yes, Your Majesty." Yang said. She lifted Ruby to her feet, put an arm around her shoulders, and guided her away.

"I think this is the end for me." Pyrrha said once Ruby was out of earshot. "There are some things that need to be worked out, just in case this isn't the end of the world as well."

"Of course." Weiss said. "Do you have a will?"

"No." Pyrrha replied. "What I say here and now is my will."

"Go ahead." Weiss said.

"I'm still the Countess of Nikopolis, but I have no family I'm aware of." Pyrrha said. "I want it all to go to Ruby, the County, my estates, all my wealth, all my possessions."

"I assumed as much." Weiss said. "Go on."

"I want to be laid to rest in Nikopolis, beside my parents." Pyrrha continued. "If I have to be cremated to be transported there, that's fine. Otherwise I'd like a funeral in line with Ylissean custom."

"I'm not familiar…" Weiss started.

"Qrow is." Pyrrha cut her off. "Ruby's going to be too distraught in the immediate aftermath of my passing, so I want Yang to be in charge of everything until Ruby is ready."

"Is there anything else?" Weiss asked.

"One final request." Pyrrha replied. "Whatever may happen, I just want Ruby to be happy and safe. I'm trusting all of you to look after her."

"You know we will." Weiss said.

"I do." Pyrrha said with a sad smile. "And I probably won't have the guts to say it myself, so tell Ruby I'm sorry. I never meant to cause her any pain, but it seems that's all I've done since we met."

"Pyrrha, that's not true." Blake said. "You've made her so happy. Every relationship has its ups and downs. Even if...if it ends like this, I'm sure she won't look back and remember the pain. She'll remember all the joy you brought her."

"Thank you." Pyrrha said. "It means a lot but…"

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked. She and Yang had done their sweep. There was not much to the village and it was almost immediately clear that there was only one way to go after Cinder.

"Nothing important." Pyrrha replied. "I guess there was nothing?"

"No." Yang confirmed. "They probably stripped the place of anything that might be useful." She shook her head. "I don't want to give up but…"

"Ren, how long do I have?" Pyrrha asked.

"Not long, a few days at most." Ren replied.

"Weiss, as Emperor, you have the authority of the church, right?" Pyrrha asked.

"I do." Weiss answered. "Why?"

"Pyrrha…" Ruby gasped.

"Ruby Rose, Duchess of Rosanne, will you marry me today?" Pyrrha asked.

"No." Ruby said. The others gasped in unison. "Not like this. Pyrrha, I love you, more than anything else, but doing this would be like giving up. I'm not giving up. When we've stopped Cinder and you're free of the curse, then we'll get married."

"Ruby…" Pyrrha said.

"You'll make it." Ruby said. "I promise. I don't know how, but we will save you."

"I...I believe you." Pyrrha said. "If anyone can do it…"

"Guys...uh...can we have some time...alone?" Ruby asked.

"Of course." Weiss said. "Just don't touch her."

"I won't let her." Pyrrha said.

"I won't try." Ruby added. With that settled the others walked a little ways away. Ren and Nora stayed nearby just in case while the others kept walking.

"I know this might be a little premature, but when it comes down to it, I think Weiss should be the one to kill Cinder." Yang said. "What she did to Pyrrha is despicable, and all the pain she's caused Ruby...but I know your reasons are stronger."

"I don't…" Weiss protested.

"No, it should be you." Blake said. "Her machinations may have caused my people great pain, but it's nothing compared to what you've had to go through."

"Weiss, you take Cinder." Yang said.

"Her life belongs to you and you alone." Blake agreed.

"Alright." Weiss said. "I will avenge my family."

* * *

The sound of pounding hooves could soon be heard. It was approaching from the landward side of the village. It could not be Qrow. He and his army were at least a whole day away. But who could it be? The group formed up around Pyrrha and Ruby as the horsemen thundered into the streets. They were lead by a familiar knight with a dragon on his armor. "Sir Taiyang?" Weiss gasped.

"Dad?!" Yang exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"When Qrow told me what Cinder was planning and where she was, I thought you might need help." Taiyang replied. "I put Junior in charge of Chon'sin, gathered some knights and headed straight here." He noticed Pyrrha lying on the ground and Ruby kneeling at her side. "What happened?"

"Pyrrha tried to stop Cinder from boarding her ship by challenging her to a duel." Blake explained. "It went poorly...and Pyrrha's been cursed."

"There must be some way to save her." Taiyang said.

"The only way to lift the curse is to kill Cinder." Ren explained.

"So why aren't you going after her?!" Taiyang demanded.

"Because there's about one hundred elite Plegian soldiers blocking our path to the docks." Yang replied. "Attacking them without Pyrrha's aid would be suicidal, and probably would be even with her. There's a ship moored here we could use, but we can't get to it."

"I can fix that." Taiyang said. He had 17 knights including himself. He gestured towards them. "We don't have the numbers to win the battle outright, but we can make an opening big enough to get you to that ship."

"Dad, you'll die." Yang protested.

"Maybe, but I can't stand to see my daughter like this." Taiyang said. "I know how it feels to lose the one you love." He stared off into the distance for a few seconds before snapping back to reality. "Maybe the world even hangs in the balance too. Besides, I can handle myself, thanks to this baby." He slung a huge hammer off his back. It was even larger than Magnhild. "Those Plegians won't know what hit them."

"I like him." Nora said, elbowing Ren in the ribs.

"We'll punch a hole in their line, you guys run through to the ship." Taiyang said. "I'll have one of my knights stay back to care for Pyrrha while…"

"I'm going with them." Pyrrha said. "Tie me to my Pegasus."

"You're in no condition…" Weiss started.

"If these are my last days, I want to spend them with my friends." Pyrrha cut her off. "I'm going."

"Very well." Weiss sighed. "Sir Taiyang, we'll follow your lead. If this works they'll sing songs about your bravery."

* * *

"Emperor Weiss, if you'd please." Taiyang said. Weiss stood at his side along with Ren. Taiyang's knights formed a wedge behind him, the hollow space in the middle filled by the rest of Weiss group.

Ren nodded to indicate he was ready. "Fire." Weiss said. She took Myrtenaster in hand and with a flick of her wrist launched a line of flames straight into the Plegian formation. Ren added to the fire as he spoke a spell from his tome. The Plegian soldiers not directly hit pushed away from the conflagration, creating the smallest of gaps. It was all the knights would need.

"Charge!" Taiyang shouted, raising his hammer over his head. He and his knights surged forward with Weiss and Ren joining the rest of their group in the knights' wake. The heavily armored horsemen slammed into the Plegians with hammers and lances, forcing open a gap in their defensive position. Taiyang and a few of his knights managed to punch all the way through, and Weiss' group was able to gallop straight for the docks unimpeded.

Just as he cleared the last few Plegian soldiers, Taiyang's horse was killed beneath him. He tumbled to the ground but rolled to his feet. Just beyond Yang slid her horse to a stop. "Dad!" She shouted.

"Go on!" Taiyang yelled back. "I'll hold them off." The two knights that had pushed all the way through with Taiyang were cut down but he was undaunted. Yang hesitated but moved on with the others. As they rushed aboard a ship and set sail, Taiyang faced down the entire Plegian force. He was alone, his other knights having been killed or failed to break through and now separated from him. He swung his hammer around, over his head, and slammed it down, shattering the paving stones. "Come on!" He challenged. "Let's see what you've got!"

* * *

Mercury took the helm of the ship, Cinder commanding him on the course to set. "When this is all over, I want a mansion, with servants, and a harem." Mercury said.

"And you'll have it all, as promised." Cinder said. "Our victory is near. Once I've summoned Salem, we'll all have everything we could ever want. Wealth, power, fame, it will all be ours." Cinder looked around. Emerald was leaning against the rail lining the edge of the ship. "Is something wrong Emerald? Seasick?"

"Oh, no...I'm fine." Emerald said. She continued staring out to sea.

Cinder walked over and put a gloved hand on Emerald's shoulder. "You can talk to me." She said. "What's bothering you?"

"I'd rather not say." Emerald sighed. "You'll be angry."

"I could never be angry at my most faithful servant." Cinder encouraged.

"Fine." Emerald relented. "What you did to the Countess of Nikopolis...it was...cruel."

"I am cruel to those who stand in my way." Cinder said. "She has been a constant thorn in my side."

"So why not just kill her?" Emerald asked. "Why make her suffer? She was just fighting to avenge her parents. I'm sure you can understand why she opposed you."

"Death would have been a mercy." Cinder said. "My friends, like you, deserve to best of treatment, freedom from suffering of any kind. My enemies do not deserve mercy."

"I guess." Emerald said.

"Feeling better?" Cinder asked.

"A little." Emerald replied. "I think I just need some sleep."

"Go ahead and take a rest." Cinder said. "You'll want to be wide awake for Salem's arrival."

* * *

Luckily sailing was among one of Pyrrha's many skills. She was too weak to actually do the work, but from a makeshift bed the others had constructed, she was able to instruct everyone on what needed to be done. Before long they were out of sight of shore, on the open sea. Cinder had a few hours head start on a nearly identical ship, and they were heading to the same place. Origin Peak. The island between Valm and Plegia had been the site of Grima's resurrection in the time of Chrom, and the site of the final battle that had killed the Fell Dragon. Now Cinder intended to bring a new one to life there. The journey would take a little over a day assuming the weather was good and the winds favorable. Once they arrived all that remained was a fight, one more important than any they had faced so far.

* * *

The following day Origin Peak was in sight. The fact that a towering dragon did not yet loom over it meant there was still time to stop Cinder. The island was uninhabited and had no suitable port, so Pyrrha instructed them to drop anchor in a small bay. Cinder's ship was run aground nearby. Clearly she did not care about leaving the island, no matter the outcome, but Pyrrha felt saving their ship for a return journey would be a sign of confidence and boost morale. It would only be used if they were successful after all.

Weiss thought it wise that Pyrrha remain on the ship, but she disagreed. She may not be in any condition to fight but she wanted to be close to her friends. She knew she only had hours to live. Still, she had enough energy to command her Pegasus while tied to it, using it to ferry the others to shore. Once all were on land they helped her dismount and loaded her onto a stretcher they had constructed. The altar where Cinder would perform her ritual was part way up the mountain, and the group headed for it as quickly as possible.

A series of stone steps led up to the altar. Now Weiss would not budge. Pyrrha was left at the foot of the climb and Ruby elected to stay behind with her. The rest of the group made their way up, unsure of what awaited them at the top. The steps would have exhausted most, but they were motivated, to save both their friend and the world. They reached the top, hardly breaking a sweat. Cinder and her two retainers were already there, though it was clear Cinder had not yet started the process of summoning Salem.

"I see my soldiers failed me." Cinder sighed upon seeing the approaching group. "I'll have them all executed." She shook her head. "Mercury, Emerald, deal with them."

* * *

Pyrrha lie on the ground, her head propped up to make her a little more comfortable. Ruby knelt at her side. On the other side Pyrrha's Pegasus laid down. The animal could seemingly sense the end was near for its owner, and it's usually ornery temperament shifted to one of tranquility. Pyrrha could feel that death was close. She barely had the strength to lift her arms off the ground. Ruby cried silently at her side.

"You should go join the others." Pyrrha suggested. "Cinder is powerful. They'll need your help." In truth she did not want Ruby to be there at the moment of her death. Her pain would be far too great.

"But what if we don't make it in time?" Ruby asked. "I want to be here with you."

"I'll die knowing you'll avenge me." Pyrrha said, forcing a smile.

"But what if I don't?" Ruby pressed.

"You will." Pyrrha assured her. "I know you will. You're much stronger than you think. I believe in you. I always have and I always will."

"I love you." Ruby said, her voice shaking.

"I love you too." Pyrrha said, her smile now genuine. "Take my Pegasus and go."

"He won't let me ride without you." Ruby said.

"He will." Pyrrha said. She turned to the animal. "Won't you? For me?" The animal made a noise that seemed to be confirmation, and Pyrrha certainly took it that way. "Take care of Ruby like you've taken care of me."

"One last thing." Ruby said. She bent down toward Pyrrha.

Using all of her remaining strength, Pyrrha lifted her gloved hands to Ruby's shoulders and stopped her. "You can't." Pyrrha said. "The curse."

"My life is yours." Ruby said. "You are half my heart; without you I could never be whole. I'll save us both or we'll be together in death."

"Ruby...I…I..." Pyrrha stammered, tearing up.

"I love you." Ruby said. Pyrrha gave up her resistance and let Ruby kiss her. After the kiss Ruby backed off smiling.

"I love you too." Pyrrha wept. "Now and forever." They gazed into each other's eyes for a brief moment. "Go, quickly."

"I'll stop Cinder." Ruby said. "And I'll save you. I promise." As Ruby stood so did the Pegasus. The animal looked a bit unsure but as Ruby approached it bend down slightly to let her climb onto its back. "See you soon." With a smile and a wave Ruby rode the animal skyward, heading for the top of the altar.

* * *

"I...I...can't." Emerald stammered.

"You're strong enough to defeat them." Cinder encouraged. "There's no need to be afraid."

"It's not that." Emerald said. "I...just can't."

"Oh Emerald." Cinder sighed. "I'm so disappointed in you, losing your nerve so close to the finish. No matter. I'm sure Mercury can handle them."

"Not a problem." Mercury said with a smirk. "First let's even the odds. Time for a little necromancy." He read a spell from his tome and a series of figures appeared before him. At first they were transparent and spectral, but they solidified. The horrifying thing was not what but who. Now standing between the group and Mercury were Winter, Summer, Raven, the general who had raised Ren and Nora, and...Pyrrha. "Can you kill them?" Mercury laughed. "I'll give you one last chance to surrender. If you give up now I'll let you join my harem."

"If Pyrrha…" Blake gasped.

"Winter...I can't…" Weiss said, her eyes wide with shock.

"We can do this." Yang declared. "It hurts, but they're already dead. We just have to ignore their appearances."

"I don't think I can." Nora said with tears in her eyes.

"It will be...difficult." Ren admitted.

"To hell with this!" Yang shouted. "Weiss, forget about Mercury and his ghouls, take down Cinder! I'll fight them all off if I have to." She slammed her gauntlets together and they burst into flames.

The display was enough to spur the others into action. Weiss rushed straight for Cinder, ignoring the other foes, while Ren laid down covering fire with his magic. Blake lunged forward and clashed swords with Winter while Nora attacked Summer. Yang headed straight for her mother. Weiss was able to bypass them all. Cinder drew a short sword and deflected Weiss' initial attack away. Weiss rolled out of the way as Cinder opened a tome with her other hand, producing fountains of flame from the ground all around her.


	30. As We Know It

**Author's Note:** This may be the last chapter but the tale isn't quite over. In the near future I'll be releasing a series of mini-fics detailing what happens to the characters after this main story ends.

* * *

Chapter 30

At first walking, as she approached Yang broke into a sprint, heading for her mother. Raven drew her blade and held it at the ready. Yang had spotted one weakness in Raven's fighting style. At very close range she could not use her sword effectively. Yang smacked her mother's initial strike aside and slipped inside her range. Raven tried to pull back but Yang grabbed her, holding her close. Raven attempted to bash Yang with her sword's pommel but Yang caught her arm and wrenched it hard. Yang could hear and feel snapping bone as her mother cried out and dropped her blade.

"Sorry mom." Yang said. Holding Raven at perfect distance with one hand she reared back and punched her as hard as she could straight in the face. Raven's head was knocked clean off and rolled across the ground. Both head and body became briefly and inexplicably blurry. When it resolved Yang was in for a shock. The body was no longer that of her mother. "It's a trick!" Yang announced to the others. "They're just normal Risen."

"Well shit." Mercury groaned. "I thought I'd get more mileage out of that little illusion." It was still no easier for the group as they battled enemies that carried their loved ones' faces.

* * *

The fire between Cinder and Weiss died down, leaving the two combatants staring at one another. "Can't you see that resistance is pointless?" Cinder asked. "Just accept the new world I'm bringing."

"You're offering nothing but hate and death." Weiss said. "You're evil, plain and simple, and you need to be stopped. I will stop you." Weiss charged forward, leading with her blade. Cinder counter charged with her own sword, both slashing at one another. Their swords met in a shower of sparks and both fell off balance, moving away from one another to avoid a potential counter attack.

"You're no match for me." Cinder said. "I'll kill you like I killed Pyrrha. No, I'll make it far more painful."

"Pyrrha's not dead yet." Weiss said. "I refuse to believe it. And if one of us is going to suffer it's you. I'm going to make you pay for what you did to my family, what you did to my friends!" With a flick of Weiss' wrist ice rose from the ground to engulf Cinder's legs. Weiss lunged forward. Cinder quickly drew her tome, blasted fire at the ice enough to weaken its hold, then broke free and spun out of the way. Weiss broke off her attack and returned to a safe distance once again.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" Cinder taunted. "You're weak. And you have the body of a 12 year old. What a joke."

"Well you look old!" Weiss countered.

"I'll make you pay for that." Cinder growled. "I'm going to cut out your…" Cinder stopped and her eyes went wide. She dropped to her knees with an arrow lodged in her back as Ruby flew over on a Pegasus with Nidhogg in hand. The Pegasus landed and Ruby dismounted, slowly approaching Cinder.

Around them everything stopped. Blake finished off the last of the Risen as everyone turned to face Cinder and Ruby. Emerald stifled a scream. Cinder coughed, blood spraying from her mouth and onto Ruby's armor. "Look at me." Ruby commanded.

Cinder looked her in the eyes with a scowl on her face. "I'll...kill you…" She struggled.

"I'm a good person." Ruby said. "A paragon of virtue." She drew an arrow out of her quiver. "But even a paragon is not entirely selfless, not entirely pure." She held the arrow to the bowstring. "A paragon is the embodiment of humanity, and humanity is not perfect." She drew the arrow back. "As much as humanity is beautiful and good, humanity is ugly, angry, hateful and vengeful." Ruby leveled the bow at Cinder's chest. "Today I take vengeance on an embodiment of humanity's evils." She relaxed her hand the the arrow leapt from her bow, puncturing Cinder's chest and piercing her heart.

Cinder mouthed something, trying to say one last insult, but her eyes rolled back and she fell over dead. "No!" Emerald screamed before covering her mouth with her hands and falling to her knees sobbing.

Mercury stood there in shock. Now he was unprotected. As a mage he would not last long in a straight-up fight. He turned to Yang, Blake, Ren and Nora, now all closing in on him. "Hey guys, I surrender." He said, lifting his hands into the air. "I was just doing what she told me to do. You understand. No hard feelings."

"Weiss?" Yang asked.

"Nora, take care of him." Weiss commanded with a stern look.

"Oh Gods…" Mercury started before Nora's hammer slammed into his face, knocking him flat on his back. He was probably already dead, but Nora hit him again and again, crushing him into a bloody pulp that no longer resembled anything vaguely human.

"That's enough Nora." Ren said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Nora stopped and stood there breathing heavily for a few seconds. "Join your harem!" Nora screamed, delivering one last blow to what was now more puddle than man.

Blake looked at Emerald. "What should we do with her?" The group surrounded her, Nora's hammer still dripping with gore.

"Oh gods, please don't kill me!" Emerald cried, curling up on the ground and hyperventilating. "I only followed Cinder because I had nothing else. She took me from nothing and gave me everything and only asked for loyalty in return. I didn't want to kill! I just wanted to survive! She was the only person who ever showed me kindness. I didn't know she was evil, not until it was too late. Please don't kill me! Oh gods, not like that!"

Weiss walked to Emerald and crouched down beside her. "Calm yourself." Weiss said. "We will not execute a repentant prisoner. Particularly one who did not take part in the fight against us." Emerald still cowered, seemingly unconvinced of Weiss' sincerity. "Yang, I'm placing her in your charge."

"Are you sure about that?" Yang asked.

"You did well with Neo." Weiss replied. "See that she is calmed and secured." Weiss stood and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Yang asked.

"To check on Pyrrha with the others." Weiss answered. "Meet us at the base of the altar." She rushed down the stairs with the others.

Yang gently but firmly tied Emerald's wrists together, then helped her to her feet. "How did you change so much since the last time you were our prisoner?" Yang asked Emerald who was finally beginning to compose herself.

"It's a long story." Emerald said.

"Well, we've got a long trip ahead of us." Yang said. "I'd like to hear it."

* * *

The group rushed down the steps to where they had left Pyrrha. Her Pegasus had already made the flight and stood beside her. She lay there, eyes closed, a small smile on her face. "Pyrrha?" Ruby said fearfully as she approached.

"You did it." Pyrrha said. She opened her eyes and looked at the approaching group. "I knew you did. I could feel it."

"Oh Pyrrha!" Ruby exclaimed. She rushed to her lover's side and they embraced. They cried tears of joy in each other's arms.

"That's a relief." Weiss sighed. "I was afraid we were too late. When Mercury...never mind."

"When he what?" Ruby asked.

"Before you got there he summoned...how should I put this?" Weiss struggled.

"He summoned Risen, but they were disguised as our deceased loved ones." Ren helpfully explained. "Pyrrha was among them."

"He claimed to be a necromancer, so we had to believe Pyrrha was dead." Blake said. "But it turns out it was all a trick." Blake shook her head. "I still feel like he got off easy."

"Nora reduced him to paste." Weiss observed.

"Yeah, but the first blow probably killed him." Blake said. "It definitely knocked him out. He probably didn't feel anything."

"I hit him so hard he'll feel it in the afterlife." Nora said cheerfully.

"So, who did it?" Pyrrha asked. "Who killed Cinder?"

"I did." Ruby replied.

Pyrrha thought for a moment. "Wait, but you've never killed anyone." She said. "You've never been _willing_ to kill anyone."

"And if I'm so blessed by the gods, I'll never have to kill again." Ruby said. "I killed the most vile, evil creature to live in this world. I killed to save you."

"Well, Ruby, thank you." Pyrrha said, not really sure what else she should say. "That just leaves her other retainer."

"We took her prisoner." Weiss said. "She refused to fight against us and begged us for mercy afterwards. Yang is bringing her here."

With perfect timing Yang arrived with Emerald in tow. "Oh thank the gods you're alive." Yang said. "If you died I'd have you resurrected just so I could kill you for hurting Ruby."

"It's nice to see you too Yang." Pyrrha said.

"I'm very sorry for what Cinder did to you." Emerald said. "For what she did to all of you. If I'd seen she was a monster sooner maybe…"

"We can talk about it later." Weiss said. "Ren, is Pyrrha safe to touch now?"

"Cinder is dead and the curse is broken, so yes." Ren replied.

"You should heal her properly then." Weiss suggested. "The wounds she suffered at Cinder's hands must be mended."

"Any volunteers?" Ren asked.

"Me of course." Ruby said, raising her hand.

Ren looked to Yang. "Just do it." Yang said. "I hope you're ready Ruby because it hurts, a lot."

"Anything for Pyrrha." Ruby said.

"I'm very sorry." Ren said. He grabbed Ruby by the throat and the pair of them began to glow. Ruby squealed in pain and squirmed. The glow around Ruby faded and Ren laid a hand on Pyrrha. She began to glow as the glow around Ren faded. "All done. You'll obviously need more treatment. The curse likely caused complications, so your injuries will be harder than usual to heal."

"I'll be fine for now." Pyrrha said. "After I rest I can use a staff to heal myself."

"So, can we leave this godsforsaken island already?" Yang asked. "I've had enough of this place."

"As have I." Weiss agreed. "Let's go home."

* * *

The journey back to the mainland would take two days at least, as the winds that had previously propelled the group now fought against them. There was plenty of time to rest, recharge and revel in the fact that the fighting was finally over. Pyrrha was getting stronger by the hour. Emerald, still bound at the wrists, stood on deck, staring at the sea. She knew that while she still lived, the life she had known was over. Things would never be close to the same. Her patron, her protector, the only person who ever cared about her, was dead, and now she was trapped among her killers. She knew they were justified in what they had done, but being around them was sickening all the same.

"Emerald, you said you had a long story." Yang said as she approached. "Sailing is boring and I'd like to hear it if you don't mind."

"As would I." Weiss said, stepping up behind Yang. "If that's not a problem."

"No, it's not a problem." Emerald sighed.

"Well, go ahead." Yang encouraged. "What's your story?"

"I guess I should start from before I met Cinder." Emerald said. "My parents died when I was a kid. In battle I think? No one ever told me for sure. We were poor anyway, and the poor are treated worse than slaves in Plegia. I was basically thrown out on the street. Some of the other homeless people looked after me, made sure I didn't die. Well, one day when I was 8 I saw some rich lady walking down the street. I could tell she was rich just by the way she walked. I was starving, so I picked her pocket. She didn't notice but a nearby soldier did. He grabbed me, took me to her. I figured she would have me killed. It was well within her rights to do so. I begged for her to spare me, that I was just starving and needed to steal to live. I don't know why, but she took pity on me. Instead of having me killed she took me in. That was Cinder."

"Really?!" Yang gasped. "Are we talking about the same person here?"

"Yes." Emerald confirmed. "All she asked for was unquestioning loyalty. In return I would be housed and fed. I went from having nothing to living in luxury. She trained me to be a warrior and I did her bidding. Even when I served her no one else gave a damn about me. But she always cared. It went on like that for years. She did some...questionable things, and she made me do some too. But it was either that or go back to starving on the streets. Then...things changed. She became queen. I had helped her gain the influence she needed to position herself, and done some terrible things to do that. I thought once she was queen that would be it."

"But it wasn't." Weiss said.

"Of course not." Emerald continued. "First she cursed the Exalt. I...knew he wasn't a bad person but...he was our enemy in war...so I kind of accepted it. Then we traveled to Valm and I saw what she did to your family and...I started to have second thoughts. The things she did to Pyrrha though, that's what made me realize how twisted and evil she was. There was no denying it anymore. On the altar...I...I just couldn't fight for her anymore, even if it meant my death. It was like the loving mentor who had taken me in off the streets was gone, replaced by some monster. Maybe she was never the person I thought she was. Maybe she was using me the whole time. She probably was. But it was still a terrible shock...and so painful."

"I know what you mean." Weiss said. "I felt the same way when my father tried to have me killed. He was never a loving parent, but I never suspected he was capable of something so evil. It hurt. It still does."

"Cinder was at fault for that too." Emerald sighed. "I'm sorry." She looked back out to sea. "So, what will you do with me now? Put me on trial? Throw me in prison?"

"I have a better idea." Weiss said. "How about we see if you can live an honest life? We'll see if you can really turn over a new leaf."

"What do you mean?" Emerald asked.

"My household is always in need of servants." Weiss replied. "It's difficult work, but it's honest work. You'll never go hungry, and I'll never ask you to do anything untoward."

"You would do that for me?" Emerald gasped. "Why?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance." Yang said. "Weiss, we should probably put her in with Neo and Torchwick so we can keep an eye on all three."

"Agreed." Weiss said. "We'll bring them to the capital and once everything settles down we can work out the details."

"You're like an angel." Emerald said.

"I'm nothing of the sort." Weiss said. "If you take advantage of my generosity, the consequences will be dire."

"Oh, I won't." Emerald promised. "I won't waste the chance you're giving me."

"Good." Weiss said with a smile. "I think I made the right choice in sparing you."

* * *

The ship neared shore. As the port came into sight it was clearly filled with soldiers, Imperial Soldiers. The fate of the Plegians was unknown but at least the port was now safe and in friendly hands. The group docked the ship according to Pyrrha's instructions, clumsily as it turned out, but successfully. When they disembarked a pair of soldiers were waiting. "Dad?!" Ruby exclaimed. She ran forward and embraced her father.

"Gods, I thought you were dead." Yang gasped. She held one end of Pyrrha's stretcher and so could not join Ruby.

"When I got here Taiyang and three of his knights had about one hundred Plegian soldiers disarmed and captive." Qrow said, shaking his head.

"After you guys left they surrendered." Taiyang laughed. "I guess I was just that intimidating."

"Or they decided it was pointless to keep fighting once their mission had failed." Qrow said. "It's good to see you all alive and...maybe not well but alive."

"It's good to see you too, Your Majesty." Pyrrha said. "I would again like to renounce my lordship over Nikopolis."

"And now that the war is over I grant your request." Qrow said. "Go be with Ruby."

"Thanks uncle Qrow." Ruby said. She released her father and hugged Qrow. "I...I killed Cinder."

"You killed someone?" Qrow gasped. "I never thought I'd see the day. It only took coming face to face with the most evil person on the planet."

"And a desire to save my life." Pyrrha added.

"I'm glad you did it all the same." Qrow said.

"So, is it really over?" Taiyang asked. "You stopped her from summoning that dragon?"

"We did." Weiss said. "Now we can all get back to our lives in peace."

* * *

Back in the capital, a little over a week later, it was finally time for the coronation and royal wedding. The Temple of Naga was decorated with splendid tapestries depicting famous scenes of triumph from the empire's history. Nobles and monarchs from around the world were assembled to witness the event, filling the venue to bursting, with a large crowd spilling outside. Dressed in a long white gown trimmed with purple, Weiss stood at the altar before a Priest of Naga. The priest anointed her with sacred oil and took a step back. It was time for Weiss to turn to the crowd and do her part.

"I hereby swear to govern the great Empire of Valm according to its established laws and customs, enforcing and promoting justice in all things." Weiss said. "I swear to respect the rights of the people, noble and common. I swear to defend the Empire against enemies, internal and external." With the official oath complete, it was her chance to make a statement of her own. "My reign shall be one of peace, justice and prosperity, this I promise." Weiss turned and knelt before the Priest of Naga.

"I crown you Emperor of Valm." The priest declared, placing the crown on Weiss' head. "May Naga bless you." There was a great cheer from the assembled masses.

Normally the newly crowned monarch would process out and the event would end, but today there was more to be done. The great doors at the entrance of the temple opened to reveal Blake, clad in a white gown trimmed with gold. A white patch of cloth, emblazoned with the dragon of Chon'sin, covered the scarred half of her face. Flanked by Ruby and Yang she walked down the aisle, joining Weiss at the altar. The priest went through the same process of blessing and anointing her. She gave an oath identical to Weiss' save for replacing Empire of Valm with Kingdom of Chon'sin. Then she turned and knelt before Weiss and the priest.

"I crown you Queen of Chon'sin." Weiss and the priest said in unison, placing the crown on her head. "May Naga bless you." Another thunderous cheer met them, but still the event was not over. Now Weiss and Blake would be married.

Yang and Ruby had taken their seats in the front row, Nora, Ren and Pyrrha - who still required crutches to walk - lined up beside them. The ceremony had already gone on for quite some time and the marriage portion was just getting started. Yang found it terribly boring. Ruby noticed her discomfort. "Yang, are you alright?" Ruby asked. "This must be hard for you to watch."

Yang smiled. "The world isn't perfect." She sighed. "In a perfect world I'd be up there, I could be with them, but this is how it has to be. I accept it." Yang shrugged. "Besides, it's pretty sexy being the secret mistress of _two_ royals."

"That's a little too much information." Ruby said with unease. "But I'm happy for you. I just wish I could call Weiss and Blake my sisters too."

"They're my wives in all but law." Yang said. "They're your sisters, regardless of what the world thinks."

Vows and rings were exchanged, then Weiss and Blake kissed. The Priest of Naga blessed the pair and declared them married, and then it was over. They processed out down the aisle, followed by the great and good of the Empire, and once outside climbed into an ornately decorated carriage of red and gold pulled by a pair of horses made to look like Pegasi. They would have a little time to themselves, then put on less impractical attire and attend the celebratory feast that night.

* * *

The outdoor feast went on for hours. As day turned to night the area was lit by magic and bonfires. Exotic food had been consumed, expensive wines drunk, and fun had by all in attendance. But now the party was winding down and the crowd began to break up. Weiss, Blake and Yang managed to find a quiet place away from the rest of the revelers where they could talk in peace. "Great party you two." Yang said. "Almost makes up for all those hours I had to sit in the temple listening to you and that priest drone on."

"Sometimes formalities must be observed." Weiss said.

"It was almost unbearable." Blake admitted. "If everything about being a queen is that boring I'm going to have second thoughts."

"It couldn't have been harder for anyone than Yang." Weiss observed. "I'm sorry you couldn't join us."

"It's not that big a deal." Yang said. "Whatever the official line I know the reality. That's what really matters."

"That's surprisingly mature of you." Blake said.

"Funny, I had the same conversation with Ruby during the ceremony." Yang laughed.

"Where is Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"She was pretty drunk." Blake replied. "So were the others. They wandered off to somewhere. Any idea where Yang?"

"I have no…" Yang started.

A chorus of gasps distracted her. "Woohoo!" Ruby exclaimed as she flew overhead astride Pyrrha's Pegasus.

"That solves that." Blake said.

"Is she naked?" Weiss sighed.

"She sure is." Yang said.

There was another commotion among the crowd, this the gasps accompanied by cheers and whistles. "Did Ruby fly over here?" Nora asked, rushing up to the trio. From the way she wobbled to the slurring of her speech, it was clear she was drunk.

"Why are you naked?!" Weiss gasped.

"We were all skinny dipping." Nora replied. "Ruby ran off with Pyrrha's clothes and took off on the Pegasus. Pyrrha can't run so she sent me after her."

"That doesn't explain why you're naked!" Weiss shouted.

Nora looked down at herself. "Huh, I knew I forgot something." Nora shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by her very public nudity.

"Ruby went that way." Yang said, pointing. Nora rushed off, continuing the chase.

"I can't believe I made her my retainer." Weiss groaned. "And I gave Ruby a duchy."

"Look on the bright side." Yang said. "This party just got a heck of a lot more exciting."

* * *

THE END


	31. Ice and Embers

Cinder was dead. The Emperor was dead. The war, that horrible conflagration that had engulfed the whole of the world, was finally over.

Weiss - the new Emperor of Valm - and Blake - new Queen of Chon'sin - had just been married.

* * *

"Well, that was interesting." Yang laughed as a very nude Nora ran off in pursuit of an equally nude Ruby who had stolen Pyrrha's clothes and taken off on her Pegasus. "Seems like everyone else is having fun. How about we do the same?"

"Your sister is flying around on a Pegasus, _naked_ , and Nora, _also naked_ , is chasing after her, and all you can think about is having sex?" Weiss scoffed.

"Given the circumstances I think that particular focus is appropriate." Yang noted. "Come on Blake, you're with me, right?"

"Yang's right Weiss." Blake said. "It's our wedding night. Let's go have some fun."

"You two are unbelievable." Weiss sighed. The two looked at her. "Fine, let's go enjoy ourselves."

* * *

Frost and Fire isn't quite as over as it originally seemed.

While the war is over, our stories have only begun. Join both heroes and former villains as they settle down and live their lives, finding love, starting families, and confusing normal people with their abnormal habits.

Join the continuing adventure by reading _Ice and Embers_. You can find it on my profile or by searching the title.


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